The chief executive of the Nauru Phosphate company, Ronphos, says the island could expect to be mining phosphate for another 25 to 30 years.
Robert Mencel has told Nauru media that geological testing has isolated the areas with the remaining phosphate and mining this at a rate of around 500,000 tonnes a year will allow the industry to continue into the 2040s.
Mr Mencel said they are now blasting the pinnacles, which have been obstructing the mining process, out of way, and are also backfilling the mined areas to allow rehabilitation of the land.
Source:
RNZ Pacific