French Polynesia to Introduce New Mining Code

The French Polynesian government will be introducing a new mining code next week. Colin Randall, the Director of Avenir Makatea said they are hopeful that the new laws will not hinder their work. Avenir Makatea is planning to mine Makatea Island for phosphate. The funds will be used to rehabilitate the island and bring back the former residents. Randall said it will create employment and most importantly for the landowners who will end up with sustainable development.

Avenir Makatea wants to extract 6.5 million tonnes of phosphate over 27 years from old mining areas on the island. It presented its plans to a mining and minerals regional conference held in Auckland last week. The mining company wants to sell the product under the Moana Phosphate brand which has been certified organic for importation into US and Canada markets. Randall said that if mining goes ahead, 50 per cent of the company's profits would go to the government and landowners, who would also be given a rental property and royalties. He said he would also hold public consultations.

However, a number of groups are not keen on mining. This is because Makatea was ravaged by phosphate mining from 1906 to 1966. The island was stripped off millions of tonnes of phosphatic sand. Sabrina Birk, a member of two associations opposing Avenir Makatea's mining plan said the landowners had bad memories of mining on the island by another company. Birk said their lands were expropriated. "They had nowhere to stay, their lands were taken from them and used by this mining company and they were just given pennies, nothing for the destruction of their homeland."

Over the past two years, an online petition against Avenir Makatea's plans has been signed by more than 230,000 people. "They know it will destroy, it will bring dust. Phosphate dust can be very toxic and dangerous. It will also bring noise which will scare the birds and animals," said Birk.

Randall said he acknowledged the pain of the landowners but added that there have been misunderstandings.