The latest discovery of alluvial gold in West Kwara’ae is significant for Malaita province.
Malaita Technical Institute (TIM) confirmed the discovery during the institution’s 8th graduation ceremony in Auki on Friday.
TIM Director Bernard Bakote’e said the discovery of the alluvial gold is an indication that the institution has the capacity to do research of its own in the province.
Most importantly the discovery is significant for Malaita province as potential province that has some of the most valuable minerals in the world.
In 2018, TIM also discovered natural crystal moissanite.
Asked about what the discovery meant to TIM as an institution set up in the province, Mr.Bakote’e said it is an indication that although TIM is a small institution, it has the capacity to carry out its own research. It also demonstrated that Malaita province has some of the most valuable minerals in the world.
According to TIM Instructor and Head of Gemology Department Henry Dao, who first carried out a test on the mineral which resulted in the gold discovery, the mineral was picked up on the surface by a house constructor.
Mr. Dao said that the house constructor, upon digging up holes to put up posts for a new house, came across strange-looking rocks.
The house constructor then alerted them of those strange-looking rocks by inviting them for inspection.
They took a site visit to the location and conducted tests on the rocks. The results that came out from those tests performed indicated that the rocks are gold.
He said the rocks were further sent for verification tests at the Geology office in Honiara and the results came back proving they were truly gold.
Mr. Dao said the discovery of gold and natural moissanite in Malaita is just a tip of the ice-berg, where he said, according to their research, more stunning mineral discoveries will be made in the coming years in Malaita.
With that, he shared the view that Malaita sits on a huge mineral deposit.
By WILSON SAENI in Auki
