BEIJING--August 14, 2008--Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Ramu NiCo, a nickel-cobalt project of China Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC) (Beijing) in Papua New Guinea, will be ready to begin operation in the first half of 2009. Highlands Pacific Limited (ASX:HIG) (Brisbane, Australia), a shareholder of the Ramu project, disclosed the information. Earlier this year, analysts thought that rising costs might force MCC to delay the finishing date.