The Mt Sinivit gold project is located approximately 50km SSW
of Rabaul in the Baining Mountains of the Gazelle Peninsula,
East New Britain Province. The deposits were discovered in mid- 1983 and form part of a larger 26km long zone of variably aurif- erous quartz veining. There are no surface indications or previ- ous records of any prospecting activity or production from the
region. The Mt Sinivit deposits consist of a series of oxide and
sulphide reserves and resources contained in the Wild Dog (South- ern, Central and Northern oxide zones; Northern sulphide zone)
and Kavursuki veins. The proposed exploitation of the oxide
reserves by a series of small-medium sized open pits has been
fostered by the PNG Department of Mining & Petroleum (DMP)
as part of a government policy to encourage the development of a
small-medium sized mining industry in the country. The aim of this paper is to document the steps and procedures
involved in obtaining the grant of a Mining Lease emphasising
the time and the expenditures required during each step of the
approvals process for the Mt Sinivit project.