Rio Tinto will join forces with Bougainville representatives to address the infrastructure at the shuttered Panguna gold mine.
The major signed a memorandum of understanding with Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) and the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) at a recent roundtable addressing the findings from the ‘Panguna Mine Legacy Impact Assessment’ (PMLIA) report.
The agreement will see the parties work together in consultation with impacted communities to remedy actual and potential impacts identified by the PMLIA. The parties will continue to work on addressing the ageing infrastructure at the site.
Based on two years of data collection, the PMLIA report was overseen by a committee representing local communities, the PNG Government and the ABG.
“The PMLIA has been an important initiative for the ABG and for impacted communities,” Bougainville President Ishamel Toroama said.
“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.”
Rio Tinto chief executive Australia Kellie Parker said the major is focused on meaningful engagement and longterm solutions at Bougainville.
“Since 2021, we’ve committed to the independent Legacy Impact Assessment process with local stakeholders, which for the first time in decades will provide objective data on environmental and associated human rights impacts from the Panguna mine since it ceased operations,” Parker said.
“We will work with the roundtable parties and consult with local communities on a response plan to address identified impacts. Rio Tinto’s support for this [agreement] reinforces our genuine commitment to working respectfully and collaboratively on this important issue.”
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