Australian Coal Company Also Eyes Cement and Limestone Production in Papua New Guinea

By Adelaide Sirox Kari – EMTV News, Port Moresby

While Mayur Resources is commonly associated with Coal prospecting in the country, the Australian company is also looking to Cement and Limestone.

Paul Mulder the Managing Director of Mayur says the company is looking to invest in setting up Cement and Limestone factory with a Definitive Feasibility Study already publish, saying it’s a market that hasn’t been tapped into yet.

But with the manufacturing of cement, the company needs Ash, a component of coal. That is why they plan to build a power station on the outskirts of Port Moresby to not only power the factory, but also to get ash. Mayur Managing Director Paul Mulder says the market for cement in PNG and abroad is a potential market Mayur is looking at.

The Australian Stock Market releasing Mayur Definitive feasibility study stating the Project Capital Cost at USD 331 Million and a forecast life of the project revenue of USD 4.8 billion.

Since the Site is located in the traditional gardening area for Kido and Lealea villages, Mayur plans to supply their own electricity with a coal power plant, that will also need ash.

Christian Lohberger from ‘Nogat Coal’ says it should be a concern that the company wants to build a coal power plant 25km outside of Port Moresby, just so they can get the ash component.

Meanwhile, 7km from the site of Mayur proposed cement and limestone factory is Oil Search and KPHL gas power station, currently under construction to supply electricity to Port Moresby. For Mayur it is key for them to ensure the final product price is not affected, another reason for their own power station, but the question arises where they will get the coal from.

Mr. Mulder stating there always has to a redundancy measure and suggesting that the company will look to Indonesia or Australia. But between Indonesia and Australia, Indonesian coal is the cheapest.

EMTV News received documents stating Mayur is looking to Import Coal from Indonesia, Mayur stating this in its Power Purchase Agreement Proposal to PNG Power for the Power Plants, as Mining coal would take some time for the company. Imported cheap sub-bituminous coal from Indonesia, and if coal is never mined in PNG, Mayur may look at the prospect of Indonesian coal for both the Port Moresby and Lae Power stations.