The first roundtable to address the findings from the ‘Panguna Mine Legacy Impact Assessment’ (PMLIA) report was held in Port Moresby this month.
The joint undertaking follows the November 2024 agreement signing between the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG), Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) and Rio Tinto to address environmental issues at the site.
The roundtable aims to develop a process for collectively remedying impacts identified in the report and is an important first step toward finding ways to address the legacy concerns of the mine.
“Throughout the meeting, the parties deliberated and reached consensus on the scope of additional investigations needed to address the most critical impacts identified in the PMLIA,” Rio Tinto said.
“This will be submitted for consultation with and formal endorsement by the PMLIA Oversight Committee, which includes diverse stakeholders representing local communities, the Government of PNG, the ABG, BCL, Rio Tinto, and the Human Rights Law Centre.“
The parties will continue to address ageing infrastructure and other priority issues at the site.
“The PMLIA has been an important initiative for the ABG and for impacted communities,” Bougainville President Ishamel Toroama said in November 2024.
“Rio Tinto and BCL should be commended for stepping up and supporting the assessment, as well as the clan representatives on the Oversight Committee who have been a vital bridge in their communities throughout the process.
“We are now looking beyond these results to working in concert with the [agreement] partners to address the legacy environmental impacts.”
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