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Mining and community resistance in post-coup Fiji

2016; RELX Group (Netherlands); Linguagem: Inglês

1556-5068

Glen Finau,

Island Studies and Pacific Affairs

Since the 1930s when the first gold fields were proclaimed, the mining industry has played a major role in shaping Fiji’s economic history (Emberson-Bain, 1994). For most of this period Fiji had only one operating mine – the Emperor Gold mine in Vatukoula. During 2006, the mine closed due to strikes, high costs and low commodity prices. The mine reopened in 2007 under new management. In 2011, Fiji opened its second operating mine in Nawailevu, Bua, a bauxite mine owned by Australian-based Chinese company: Xinfa-Aurum. Since then three other companies have been issued mining leases and more are planned for the future such as the proposed Waisoi copper-gold prospect in the provinces of Namosi and Naitasiri.