The State, Mayur Industrials PNG Ltd, MR Industrials PNG Pte Ltd, and the Special Economic Zone Authority have reached full agreement on the Project Development Agreement (PDA) for the landmark Central Lime & Cement Project, marking a major step forward for one of Papua New Guinea’s most significant emerging industrial developments.
Minister for International Trade and Investment, Hon. Richard Maru, MP, announced the milestone, describing the project as “a transformational national investment” that will strengthen PNG’s industrial capacity and fuel the country’s long-term economic independence agenda.
According to Minister Maru, the agreement comes at a critical time, with construction of Stage 1 — including quicklime kilns, quarry operations, a new wharf and supporting infrastructure-already progressing strongly.
These works follow the developers’ Final Investment Decision in August 2025 and are expected to deliver PNG’s first large-scale quicklime production facility by 2027.
With the PDA now finalised, preparations are also underway for Stage 2, which will see the construction of a clinker and cement manufacturing facility starting next year. This stage is projected to significantly reduce the nation’s reliance on imported cement, saving hundreds of millions of kina and supporting new downstream industries such as casting, brick manufacturing, building materials and broader industrial production.
Minister Maru highlighted that the successful agreement is the culmination of several years of coordinated progress, including the granting of Mining Lease 526, amendments to the SEZ licence, completion of the Community Development Agreement, approval of national content frameworks, and consistent engagement with landowners and Central Province authorities.
He emphasised that the PDA provides a solid, transparent and equitable development framework — ensuring State and landowner equity rights, regulatory certainty, environmental safeguards, and broad community benefits. The project promises significant local participation, creating hundreds of direct jobs and thousands more across the supply chain, while supporting SMEs and positioning PNG to export into the Australian market.
Minister Maru acknowledged the collaboration of the Central Provincial Government, Hiri LLG, landowners, the Mineral Resources Authority, the SEZ Authority, and project proponents. He reaffirmed the Government’s unified support for the initiative, saying the project stands as “one of the most significant medium-size industrial catalyst developments in PNG’s history.”
“With construction underway and the cement phase commencing next year, we are on track to deliver a project that will reduce imports, expand exports and support national infrastructure development for decades,” he said. “While critics may question our efforts, the progress is factual, visible, and undeniable.”