HAR - Harmony Gold Mining Company Ltd - Hidden Valley Joint Venture welcomes Release Date: 17/12/2010 08:52:01 Code(s): HAR HAR - Harmony Gold Mining Company Ltd - Hidden Valley Joint Venture welcomes
reaffirmation of constructive dialogue
Harmony Gold Mining Company Ltd
Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa
Registration number: 1950/038232/06
Share code: HAR
ISIN: ZAE000015228
Hidden Valley Joint Venture welcomes reaffirmation of constructive dialogue
Johannesburg, Friday 17 December 2010 Please find attached a release from
Hidden Valley Joint Venture welcoming a statement by the Member for Bulolo
reaffirming the constructive dialogue process agreed on 6 December 2010
regarding landowner community concerns about sediment in the Watut River.
Hidden Valley Joint Venture is a 50:50 Joint Venture between Papua New Guinea
subsidiaries of Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited and Newcrest Mining
Limited.
Issued by Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited
17 December 2010
For more details contact:
Henrika Basterfield
Investor Relations Officer
+27 (0)82 759 1775 (cell)
+27 11 411 2314(office)
Corporate Office:
Randfontein Office Park
P O Box 2
Randfontein
South Africa 1760
T +27 (11) 411 2000
www.harmony.co.za
JSE: HAR
NYSE: HMY
ISIN No.: ZAE000015228
MOROBE MINING
HIDDEN VALLEY MINE JV
HIDDEN VALLEY JOINT VENTURE WELCOMES REAFFIRMATION OF CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE
PROCESS
The Hidden Valley Joint Venture welcomes the Member for Bulolo`s announcement
today reaffirming the constructive dialogue process jointly agreed and
announced on 6 December 2010.
The Member today withdrew a writ lodged with the Lae register of the National
Court of Papua New Guinea for alleged nuisance relating to Hidden Valley mine
related sediment. The writ had been lodged but not served on the Joint
Venturers.
The joint agreement, see attached, includes open sharing of information and
the establishment of an expert technical advisory group to provide
independent review of sediment related issues and related community concerns.
Hidden Valley Mine has a demonstrated track record of working with
communities. A range of effective environmental and community programs are
in place and ongoing.
These include voluntary payments made to communities along the Watut River
for flood damage to crops and gardens, regardless of whether this was due to
additional sediment run-off from mine construction activity or by natural
events such as landslips and heavy rain. The Joint Venture has provided
written assurance to the Member for Bulolo and his advisers that
participating in the compensation process does not in any way infringe on the
rights of individuals to claim further compensation beyond that which has
already been paid. These compensation payments are nearing completion.
Importantly, at Hidden Valley Mine, all tailings from the processing of ore
are stored permanently in an engineered Tailings Storage Facility. No
tailings are discharged from our site.
Hidden Valley Joint Venture places a high value on responsible environmental
stewardship, and on the relationship with our communities, and our 2000-
strong workforce, most of whom are local people.
The Joint Venture remains committed to working with directly communities in a
constructive and expeditious manner.
Media inquiries:
David Wissink
Ph: (675) 472 1703 ext 243
Mobile: (675) 7100 2406
Fax: (675) 472 1705
Email: david.wissink@morobejv.com
All correspondence to: PO Box 4015, Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea
T: +675 472 1703 F: +675 472 1705
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
MOROBE MINING BULOLO DISTRICT
HIDDEN VALLEY MINE JV
Expert technical advisory panel to review the Watut River System
Following representations to the Hidden Valley Joint Venture by the Member of
Parliament for Bulolo Mr Sam Basil who raised landowner community concerns,
an expert technical advisory panel will review sediment and pollution issues
affecting the Watut River.
The Panel will complement the existing regulatory processes and scrutiny of
mining operations conducted by the PNG Government. It will likely include
international specialists with best practice experience relevant to the PNG
natural environment
In recent discussions with Mr Basil it was agreed that terms of reference and
membership of the expert technical advisory panel would be determined with a
view to finalising details at a meeting in January. Regulators will be key
participants in this meeting and in ongoing discussions.
It is envisaged the expert technical advisory panel will be briefed on both
historic and current studies and will visit the mine site.
The Joint Venture has provided Mr Basil with a briefing on the environmental
management and monitoring of sediment run-off from the mine along with
background information and a number of studies.
The Joint Venturers said that the expert technical advisory panel would be a
vehicle for the constructive resolution of sediment related issues in a
transparent and cooperative forum.
The meeting also discussed the establishment of multi stakeholder panels to
consider the broader future development of Morobe Province.
Background
The Hidden Valley Mine is operated by the Hidden Valley Mine Joint Venture
(HVJV) a 50:50 Joint venture between Harmony Gold of South Africa and
Newcrest Mining of Australia.
The Hidden Valley Mine is located near Wau and Bulolo in Morobe Province. It
was officially opened in September 2010.
The Hidden Valley Mine has a workforce of more than 2,000 people. 95 per
cent are PNG Nationals and 50 per cent come from the local communities.
It is important to note that the Hidden Valley Mine has an engineered
tailings storage facility and no mine processing residue, or tailings, is
discharged into the river.
The mine related sediment in the river that has caused community concern
was run-off from mine overburden and construction activities. The mine
transitioned from construction to operation in October this year.
Mine sediment run-off is now significantly lower due to mitigation measures.
These measures included ceasing of side casting of waste rock and overburden
in September 2009, ongoing revegetation of exposed slopes and erosion
control, and the storage of waste rock in engineered waste rock facilities.
Hidden Valley Mine has a demonstrated record of working with local
communities.
The Hidden Valley Joint Venture has been making voluntary compensation
payments to communities along the Watut River for flood damage to crops and
gardens, regardless of whether this was due to additional sediment run-off
from the mine construction activity or by natural events such as landslips
and heavy rain.
A sustainable development program is bringing education support, agricultural
skills, health programs and community facilities such as sanitation and water
supplies, school classrooms, community halls and aid posts. These programs
were developed in partnership with the local and provincial government and
are aligned with their development programs.
Media inquiries contact:
Date: 17/12/2010 08:52:01 Supplied by www.sharenet.co.za
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