Placer Dome under pressure to end river dumping of mine waste in Papua New Guinea

The Chair of a Placer Dome environmental advisory committee in Papua New Guinea has resigned, citing lack of action in the cleanup of river pollution from the company’s Porgera Mine.

Yati Bun has criticized Placer Dome for failing to implement recommendations aimed at mitigating the impacts of mine waste disposal into the Strickland River at the mine, 50 per cent owned by Placer Dome and managed by Placer Dome on behalf of the Porgera Joint Venture (PJV).  

At the Porgera Mine, Vancouver-based Placer Dome dumps mine waste directly into the Strickland River, a practice that is illegal in most developed countries.

The environmental advisory committee, called PEAK (Porgera Environmental Advisory Komiti)  was to oversee the implementation of recommendations generated in a report by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The CSIRO report concluded that the impact of Placer Dome’s waste disposal on the river was significant, that PJV should store waste on land and that Placer Dome’s approach to managing waste in the river was inadequate.

 “Placer has now had four years to carry out these studies and implement their recommendations, yet nothing has changed from the situation in 1996 when the CSIRO report was started” said Mr. Bun's letter.

Bun also cited Placer Dome’s unauthorized use of his name in publicity materials.

“My conscience cannot tolerate being involved any longer with the PEAK process of expediting the continuation of riverine discharge, as when the history of Porgera is written I do not wish to be the one that oversaw Porgera’s impacts and did nothing,” he said.

Bun is a highly respected Executive Director of Foundation for People and Community Development in Papua New Guinea.

International NGO’s including Mining Watch Canada, Mineral Policy Center, and Mineral Policy Institute have called on Placer Dome and other mining companies to commit to ending the practice of riverine waste disposal.

 For more information, visit Mining Watch Canada 

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