Chinese company granted mineral exploration licence at Beleru
June 24, 2026 11:35 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
By Anita Roberts.
A Chinese company based in Laos, Metal X, has been granted a licence to carry out mineral exploration at Beleru on Santo.
This was conveyed by the Director General (DG) of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MoLNR), William Nasak, following a visit to the site yesterday with the minister responsible, Rick Tchamako Mahe.
He said the licence allows the company to carry out prospecting to determine the type and quantity of minerals present and to provide a report on its findings to help the government make decisions.
The Council of Ministers (COM) has approved the government to explore mining as a new revenue option due to challenges facing existing revenue streams.
While there is evidence of minerals on some islands, further studies are needed to identify the types present and determine the level of extraction the country may consider.
DG Nasak said the Chinese company has shown commitment to carrying out the prospecting work by opening a local bank account and has also promised to build a road in the area, providing employment opportunities.
He said the company has already purchased machinery, and the minister was invited to yesterday’s visit to declare the company’s local office open.
Mr. Nasak said this is not the first prospecting licence issued by the Geology and Mines Department. Mining exploration has also been allowed on Pentecost, Erromango, at Forari on Efate, and Malekula.
He mentioned that the mining legislation will be amended to ensure that landowners receive maximum benefit from the activity, giving them confidence moving forward in the sector.
“We want the benefits from mining to be clearly defined in our law, including how much revenue goes to the government and how much goes to landowners. We want to see these amendments passed by Parliament by the end of this year,” he said. He added that the Geology and Mines Department has established criteria requiring companies applying for prospecting licences to specify the minerals they are interested in exploring and demonstrate their financial capacity to carry out the work.
