MICHAEL ARNOLD in PNG POST-COURIER | 28 September 2017
“With 18 months to go till the commencement of the production phase of the Solwara One project, two Papua New Guineans now find themselves at the helm of pioneering some of the world’s first experimental seabed mining technology.
Sharing over 40 years of terrestrial mining experience between them, Herman Sumun from Madang and Leslie Kewa from Jiwaka are not only the first Papua New Guineans qualified to operate the experimental seabed mining technology, but are also essentially the first in the world.
Although there were similarities with what they had experienced in terrestrial mining, both operators highlighted some of the many challenges faced with operating 320 tons of machinery at a depth of 1, 600 meters and in excess of 280 bars of water pressure.”
