Bauxite mine - Vanua Levu

Dr. Holger Sommer leads his ENVS class on a fieldtrip to Vanua Levu.  The first stop - Bauxite mine, Xinfa Aurum Exploration.  More on the mine can be read at this blog.

The rich red colour of the soil was so beautiful, but the brutality to the landscape was undeniable, especially when juxtaposed to the covered hillsides in the distance, and the intensive re-planting that has to be done to re-vitalize the area.  The company is pining the area with soft-wood.

The bauxite is filtered from the soil into the sediment pond.

Mine Geologist explains how the  pond is used to separate the bauxite and points to the pine trees in the distance (left of the pond) that are planted to renew the area.  About 100 people work at the mine, and the majority of these are men who come from neighbouring villages.  Consequently, he stresses how important it is for the mine to be productive for local livelihoods.

The landscape in the distance gives you a sense of what used to be here before the mine became active.