The work of the environmentalist is very important to safeguard mining projects for the welfare of people and for the protection of plants and animals in the mining area.

Steven Opur is the Environment Manager at Ramu NiCo Management(MCC) Limited and oversees both terrestrial and marine activities of the mine.

He reports to Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA) for all   activities and projects at Ramu Nickel and Cobalt Project sites in Madang Province.

Opur joined Ramu NiCo Mine in 2013 as an environment officer based in Basamuk Refinery.

His performance had earned him as Corporate Environment Supervisor in 2016 looking after environment operations in all projects at Kurumbukari（KBK） Mine and Basamuk(BSK) Refinery.

He was then promoted to the office of Deputy Superintendent Environment in 2019.

In 2019, Steven Opur got a Chinese Scholarship and was enrolled in a master’s program at a university in China and is working hard on his master’s degree certificate now.

Indeed, he was further lifted to Environment Manager at the end of 2022 and looking after environment projects in KBK Mine and BSK Refinery.

Opur’s task is to makes sure the mining activities at Kurumbukari Mine site, the 135 kilometer (km) slurry pipeline and Basamuk Refinery are in compliance with the environmental policies and regulations of the government as permitted by CEPA.

Ramu Nickel and Cobalt Project is one of the world-class nickel projects in the South Pacific located in Madang Province.

Opur always make sure most activities are done in compliance with regulation set out by CEPA.

CEPA sets the regulation that safeguards and make sure impacts of the mine doesn’t affect the environment.

Mr Opur, has been in the fishing and mining industry for the past 15 years.

He previously worked as a bio-chemist with RD Tuna Cannery for two years before joining Ramu NiCo in 2013.

Originally from Jiwaka Province, he has a Bachelor’s degree in  Science  (Bio-Chemistry) from the University of Goroka (2010). He also has a certificate in operating-manufacturing plant from Kevieng Fishery College in 2012.

He has two years of experience in establishing micro-biology lap, monitoring waste water, and food quality processing, and doing chemical analysis for water usage within the production line at RD Tuna Cannery.

All those knowledge and experience has helped him to do assessment of the environment and how they react to any form of waste caused by the chemicals from the mining including the testing of tailings at the sea.

The waste from refinery or the mine is treated, measured and diluted, to the normal temperature and potential hydrogen (ph) of the sea or freshwater system respectively with nontoxic contents before it is discharged.

His work is not limit to the mining project alone, he also do assessment on reactions of   plants and animals on the land, and in the sea.

“I am overseeing all the environment activities from marine to terrestrial based, to freshwater, carbon emissions, waste management, monitoring deep sea tailing placement,  and other third party environment business partner deals with reports for the company, stakeholders, regulators, landowners, Madang Provincial Government and general public,”Opur said.

“The environment department for RNML under my leadership does assessment reports on tailings (DSTP), water quality-and fish report, freshwater sediment report, general performance of the environment report, marine report and vegetation report to CEPA.

“We do extreme monitoring for the marine ecosystem that includes sediments, living creature right under the sea that lives 2-3 km deep, water column up to the surface, and chemical component of the sea, reef, fish and everything. And then comes to the terrestrial base covering plants and animals, and all species.

“We do assessments of how they perform in-react to any form of impact or pollution caused by the mining,” he said.

This is all reported directly to CEPA, and we employ consultants to do our marine surveys.  

He said Ramu NiCo Environment department manages to provide good reports on sustainable projects and better environment management systems in compliance with laws and regulations provided by CEPA.

RNML Enviroment Manager Mr. Steven Opur ( PPE/ Yellow ) and Officers from CEPA during a recent awareness at Long Island, Madang Province.