Report Submitted To:
BARRICK GOLD & PORGERA JOINT VENTURE
LOCAL MP & ENGA PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT
MINING MINISTER & THE DEPARTMENT OF MINING
PNG MINERAL RESOURCE AUTHORITY
PJV QUARTERLY MINING REVIEW COMMITTEE

This report was prepared by Jeffrey Simon and authorized by the chairman of Porgera Alliance & Porgera Landowners Association Mark Tony Ekepa.

The lives and livelihoods of the indigenous communities living within the Special Mining Lease Area of the Porgera mine are in constant danger and are unable to change their conditions for survival. This is due to negligence of Barrick Porgera Joint Venture (PJV) with regard to the free, prior and informed consent and consultation of the local
community, and deliberate or at least bureaucratic and professional misconduct.

Located in the Enga Province in the central highlands of Papua New Guinea, mining essentials such as limestone for neutralising waste, gas for electricity and water for smelter cooling and gereneral purposes are all available in short reach within and around the vicinity. This allows the mine to be capable of high production at inexpensive costs.

The mine was originally owned and operated by Placer Dome. In 2006, Canadian mining giant Barrick Gold acquired 100% of Place Dome’s shares. The Porgera gold mine is now a 95%-owned subsidiary of Barrick.

In 1986, a poor mining plan was tabled by the authorities and Placer Dome. The mining company assumed at that time that the mine would last for a mere six years, processing only 8,500 tones of ores per day. Thus, the mining agreement Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the relevant parties was signed under very poor planning conditions.

Landowners of the mining zone were resettled not further then the edge of their own land. Land and homes for the next generations were not considered.

In 1993, in the mine’s sixth year of operation, Placer Dome sought variations to the mining plan: proposing to expand production by 15,400 tonnes per day and extending the life of the mine. This was considered without a renewal of the MOU and without properly consulting the Landowners who would be affected or displaced. Despite the mine having celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2010, the MOU has not been renegotiated to date.

Download the entire report here:

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