An Australian company is facing difficulties in the government’s efforts to award a prospecting license for the Mount Kasi Gold Mine in Vanua Levu. Reports suggest that the company, favored by landowners for excavation, did not adhere to the required procedures.
Minister for Land and Mineral Resources, Filimoni Vosarogo, explained that the Special Prospecting License (SPL) was advertised in 2010, making it a process that has taken over a decade. He noted that when the current government assumed office in December 2022, the issuance process was approximately 80 percent complete.
Vosaorogo mentioned that numerous consultations had occurred, stating there were at least 11 meetings between the previous acting director of mines and landowners before the Coalition Government took power. Since taking office, he has also met with landowners five times to clarify the current state of the issuance process, which they have generally understood.
The landowners rejected the previous government’s preference for the Vatukoula Gold Mine, indicating a preference for Aquilo Gold, an Australian junior mining company founded in 2019 that only lists Mt Kasi as its project, although the SPL has not been awarded yet.
According to Vosarogo, eight companies applied for the SPL, and the Australian company preferred by landowners was not among the top five choices. He indicated the complexities of the process, emphasizing the need for companies with adequate technical expertise and financial capabilities, citing the Lion One company, which invested over $165 million before opening.
He anticipates that the announcement of the SPL awardee for Mt Kasi will occur next week.