By EDDIE OSIFELO
CHOVOHIO Midstream Association wants to see WinWin Investment Solomon Limited halts its mining operation at Turarana in Central Guadalcanal.
This was after claims they did not receive royalty payments comparable to the loss and damage caused by the operation on their environment and land.
Chairman Joel Jackson said the mining operation is now on pit 6 and they want the company to halt its operation now.
Jackson said their call followed by Gaenalu (Moro) Movement of Guadalcanal and Guadalcanal Post Conflict Reconciliation, Rehabilitation & Restoration Association (GPCRRRA) earlier who asked the Minister of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification, Bradley Tovosia, to stop the operation as well.
“I call on the chairman of Koihoto Landowners Association to call an urgent meeting to discuss the operation of Win Win.
“We realized the company did not pay its royalties to the people from January to December this year,” he said.
However, the company said it cannot response to Jackson in the media because he has issues with them.
The Company said it can only response on the issue if the 2000 people in the community request the information.
According to WinWin mining report on 10th July 2021, alluvial gold mining is continuing and progressing well at the Turarana (Kavahambe) alluvial flats during the month of June, 2021 within Pit 5 that was initially opened up at the start of April 2021.
Pit 5 is located just to the south of previously mined out and rehabilitated Pit 4.
Mining output production data for the month of June totaled 76,100.0 cubic meters of ore gravels hauled and processed from which 24,387.12 grams (784.15 oz at 31.1g/Oz) of alluvial gold was recovered.
Production from 2019-2020 and January to June 2021 totaled 1,194,210.0 cubic meters of ore gravels mined and processed with total gold recovered from its being 115,708.65 grams (3,720.52 oz)
In June 2021, WinWin exported 24,337.97 grams (782.57 Oz) of gold bars or pellets to its buyers in Hong Kong.
It is the 16th gold consignment ship from the company.
The June export consignment is now the 6th month of alluvial gold export consignment from the Turarana Mining Lease MML02/18 operations.
The export was facilitated by the Director of Mines who signed and authorized the Export Permit.
From the current practice of royalty’s payment, the Company pays 3 percent royalties from its gold export to the Government who then is responsible to pay the landowners and the concerned Provincial Governments hosting the operations accordingly.
The 3 percent royalty payment is then proportioned at 50 percent to the Government, 40 percent to the two Turarana Landowner’s Associations and 10 percent to the Guadalcanal Provincial Government.
