Christine Prasad [Geologist]

Robert Smith [Senior Marine Geophysics Advisor]

An Overview of the

Baseline Assessment of

Development Minerals Study in

Fiji

Funded by European Union and UNDP

Implemented by the UNDP

SPC –Geoscience Division conducting a baseline assessment of development minerals in Fiji

A key stakeholder and partner in this Project is Mineral Resources Department

A team with skill sets in Geology, Resources Law, Economics, Geospatial, and Community relations has been formed for the study.

BACKGROUND

What are Development Minerals?

The term “Development minerals” in the Project refers to aggregates-sand and gravel , limestone, marble and river spalls are examples.

“ Aggregate” comes in many forms from quarried rock to sand and gravel mined from rivers or dredged material

Natural aggregate consists of crushed stone gravel

It is the essential basic raw material needed in the construction industry for infrastructure development

In Fiji , development minerals are

principally extracted from :

River mining Hardrock quarry

Why this study is important?

Increasing demand of sand and gravel due to infrastructure development

FRA –aggregate demand for 560,000m3 for years 2017/2018

Currently the rivers and streams provide the bulk of the development minerals ( 60-70%).

As a result sand and gravel mining is a growing environmental and social issue

Incomplete data sets on resource availability, sustainability, accessibility, legal and environmental considerations , permitting and licensing of extraction impact are existing issues that result in budget overruns and project delays .

STUDY OBJECTIVE

1. Profile of the sector

2. Review of legal and policy framework

3. Assessment of institutional and technical operating context

4. Social Responsibility, OHS, Environment

5. Economic Chain Analysis

1. Profile of the sector

Compilation of active and inactive sources for development minerals their operations, difficulties, constraints

Mineral Resource Department Bibliographies Reports maps provide a rich data holdings on historical activity.

Collate with different regulatory bodies that deal with development minerals industry licensing and permitting activities. DoE , Divisional land officers, Itaukei Land Trust Board. Current Information indicates 16 hard rock blasting sites22 gravel crushing sites40+ river and stream mining sites and applications

FRA Compilation example -190 locations includes rivers and stream, borrow pits, quarries, beaches .

Profile of the sector

Field surveys for documenting rock type, geology, environmental assessment and other activities associated with major quarry, river mining sites. Identifying good and bad practice, licensed and unlicensed operations. Quantifying volumes, productivity and understanding supply chains.

Profile of the sector

Hard Rock Quarry-Monzonite River bed mining

Location: Sabeto, Nadi Location: Nawaka River, Nadi

Inactive Tau Limestone QuarryFlametree Quarry

Profile of the sector

Location: Saru, Lautoka Location: Momi, Nadi

Profile of the sector

A

CD

B

Image analysis

Profile of the sector

Desk Studies

Google Earth provides a means to examine principal area of extraction as identified from license portfolio to separate out licensed and unlicensed extraction.

Profile of the sector

Resource mapping - Maps at 2 different scales

Profile of the sector

Desk Studies

A B

A. 1: 50,000 B. 1: 5000 source: Harrison etal

Environment Management Act was enacted in 2005 and operational in 2008.

All extraction of development minerals requires an EIA.

There is a need to review and update the legislation for development mineral permitting and extraction

Differences in Royalty payments for stream mining• iTaukei Lands Trust Board : $6.61/m3

• Ministry of Lands : $2.50/m3

2. Review of legal and policy

framework

Considerations

Opportunity for modernising legislation for development mineral permitting and extraction

Identify shortfalls in the EMA and EIA’s processes

A new template for policy development for development minerals extraction

Having a single regulatory body for development mineral permitting processes and monitoring

Summary report of findings and recommendation for the review of legal and policy frameworks.

License fees ,environmental bonds, royalties to state and resource owners, equitable sharing of proceeds of extracted natural resources

Review of legal and policy framework

Regulatory Agencies and their roles with respect to the development minerals industry

Agency Current role Activity

Mineral Resources

Department

Permitting hard rock

extraction and mining

Mapping; geodata;

resources; mining

regulator

Department of

Environment

EIA approving

authority and regulator

Regulator and

monitoring

Lands Department Sand gravel permitting

;land boundaries

Regulator; land titles

etc

TLTB Native Lands

Board

Responsible for

administration of

Native Land Affairs

Native Land Affairs

administrator and

regulator on native

leases

Ministry of Labour Issue Compliance

Letter

Check the components

of the excavator, front

load crusher and OHS

Land Transport

Authority

Issue registration Licensing of vehicles

and monitor

overloading

Fisheries Department Fisheries

Compensation matters

with respect to river,

lake and marine

activities

Fishery Regulator and

Develop Agency

Health Department Environmental Health OHS social Impacts on

health

3. Assessment of institutional

and technical operating

context

Compilation off government department’s capabilities and limitations for geological, geophysical and geotechnical evaluation for development mineral resource mapping and detailing.

Compilation of software tools used for resource mapping and evaluation combined with, hardware Inventory.

Access and data sharing between government departments

Identification of the skill sets needed for the development minerals and improving industry partnership’s in promoting investment in training and employment

Identify educational institution (s) best suited to provide training

Assessment of institutional and

technical operating context

An online Development minerals Permitting Registry

TransparencyBenefits both the resource owner, developer and governmentProvides an easy reference for sourcing materialQuantifies resources available, type

Assessment of institutional and

technical operating context

Assessment of institutional and technical

operating context

Will look at how the sector is contributing to the local, national, and regional economy and welfare for employees and their family

Geospatial data base illustrating and mapping the demographic income spread

Inventory of employment statistics in the development minerals industry

Inventory on age statistics in the development minerals industry

Compilation of taxation and royalty requirements for development mineral extraction

Documentation of existing OHS standards and state of current practice analysis

4. Social Responsibility, OHS

and Environment

The Selected commodities identified from the study will be scored against defined criteriaCommodity examplesConcrete blocksCustom form work blocksReady-mixed cementGlassPaving stonesPrefabricated culvertsAgricultural inputs ( Lime for soil conditioning)Marble Sealing chipsExport

5. Economic Chain Analysis

CriteriaGross value added potentialEmployment potentialEnvironmental impactResource availability Strategic positioning

What next? The data collected will be used to :

value chain analysis

product mapping

market analysis

competitive analysis

Resource Inventory

Human resources skilled versus unskilled

Industry training needs identified

Educational and vocational requirements

VINAKA