Matter of time before bauxite mining activities resumes

KUANTAN: It is just a matter of time before bauxite mining will resume near here in Pahang.

A Water, Land and Natural Resources Ministry source said since the federal government has enforced a standard operating procedure (SOP) for bauxite mining and exportation, the ball was now in the Pahang government’s court on when it planned to green light the activity.

The source said the state government, through the Land and Mines Office (PTG), will be responsible for issuing permits to prospective operators.

“The federal government has finalised the SOP, which takes into account the views of all the parties concerned, covers the entire chain of mining, including exploration, transport and export. Now, the approval to resume work is under the jurisdiction of the state authorities.

“Once they (the state government) process the permit applications and give the approval to operators, then the government will issue bauxite export licences to the operators,” said the source.

It is learnt that while the mining licence would be issued by PTG, miners had to first get approval from the Minerals and Geosciences Department to ensure that their activities complied with the Operational Mining Scheme (OMS), which included obtaining an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

The moratorium on bauxite mining in Pahang, which was imposed on Jan 15, 2016, was extended on nine occasions before it was withdrawn in March.

Though the moratorium ended on March 31, it was announced that mining operations would resume under a new SOP and tighter enforcement.

Pahang Mining Operators Association vice-president Datuk Yap Soon Huat said miners were prepared to comply with the new SOP as failure to follow instructions could prove costly.

“The operators have been instructed to self-regulate their operations so they will be extra vigilant when carrying out mining activities as no one wants to end up in trouble. The association has no objection to the new SOP.

“The announcement is certainly good news to the bauxite mining industry after a lengthy wait and we want to move on,” he told the New Straits Times.

Yap said the strict enforcement would ensure only legal industry players were involved and there would not be opportunities for illegal miners to rake in profits.

Felda Bukit Goh Village Community Management Council chief Jefri Salim expressed relief over the decision, saying it had brought the settlers’ years of “uncertainty” to an end.

He said some settlers, who had previously leased their lands for mining, had been left in the lurch when the moratorium began.

“The council has begun to look into existing mining contracts signed by the Felda settlers in 2015 so that we can get down to work once the operators are allowed to bring in their machines and lorries,” he said.

A transport operator, who was involved in transporting bauxite ores, said the company had about 100 tipper lorries with metal storage compartments.

“Transport companies are required to provide road tax, permits, drivers’ information and other documents to PTG, which will inspect the lorries to ensure that the vehicles are roadworthy,” the operator said, adding that wooden cargo lorries had been banned from transporting bauxite due to the dust pollution previously.

Source: NST