Ok Tedi environmental disaster

Environmental impact

In 1999, BHP reported that 90 million tons of mine waste was annually discharged into the river for more than ten years and destroyed downstream villages, agriculture and fisheries. Mine wastes were deposited along 1000 km of the Ok Tedi and the Fly River below its confluence with the Ok Tedi, and over an area of 100 sqkm. BHP's CEO, Paul Anderson, said that the Ok Tedi Mine was "not compatible with our environmental values and the company should never have become involved." , mine operators continued to discharge 80 million tons of tailings, overburden, and mine-induced erosion into the river system each year. About 1588 sqkm of forest has died or is under stress. As many as 3000 sqkm may eventually be harmed, an area equal to the U.S. state of Rhode Island or the Danish island of Funen.{{cite web | title = Key Statistics

Following heavy rainfall, mine tailings are swept into the surrounding rainforest, swamps, and creeks, and have left behind 30 km2 of dead forest. Thick gray sludge from the mine is visible throughout the Fly River system, although its effects downriver are not as severe.{{cite journal

The original plans included an Environmental Impact Statement that required a tailings dam be built. This would allow heavy metals and solid particles to settle, before releasing the less polluted ‘high-water’ into the river system where remaining contaminants would be diluted. In 1984 an earthquake caused the half-built dam to collapse. The company continued operations without the dam, initially because BHP argued that it would be too expensive to rebuild it. Subsequently, the Government of Papua New Guinea decided a dam was not necessary, in the wake of the closure of the Panguna mine.

Most of Papua New Guinea's land is held under a system of native title, with ownership divided amongst many small clans, while the central government retains control over how resources that lie under the ground are used.

There are no waste retention facilities on the premises. This allowed all ore processing residues, waste rock, and overburden to be discharged into the Ok Tedi River.

Aftermath

In the 1990s the communities of the lower Fly Region, including the Yonggom people,{{cite book | access-date = 2007-05-10 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110611202058/http://www.sup.org/book.cgi?book_id=5342 | archive-date = 2011-06-11 | url-status = dead

The Ok Tedi Mine was scheduled to close in 2013. However, the PNG Government has taken over control of the mine and with support of local community, the mine life was extended. Until the future closure, two thirds of the profits are to go into a long-term fund to enable the mine to continue to contribute to the PNG economy for up to half a century after it closes. The balance is allocated to current development programs in the local area (Western Province) and PNG more generally. Experts have predicted that it will take 300 years to clean up the toxic contamination.

Mine life extension and community support

In 2013, the PNG Government seized 100% ownership of Ok Tedi Mine and repealed laws that would allow people to sue mining giant BHP Billiton over environmental damage. BHP expressed confidence, stating that it had other indemnities in place that protected shareholders from future legal costs. Ok Tedi Mining launched the OT2025 project that was focused on transitioning the business to a smaller operation in preparation for Mine Life Extension.

Community consent for the mine's life to be extended to 2025 was endorsed by the Mine Associated Communities, which is made up of 156 villages, through the signing of the respective Community Mine Continuation Extension Agreements by the Community representatives and OTML at the end of 2012 and beginning of 2013. The signing of the Agreements facilitated the Company to commence planning for the MLE project throughout 2013.

References

References

1. Burton, Bob. (13 August 1999). "BHP admits Ok Tedi mine is environmental disaster". [[Asia Times.
2. Hettler, J.. (1997). "Environmental impact of mining waste disposal on a tropical lowland river system: a case study on the Ok Tedi Mine, Papua New Guinea". Mineralium Deposita.
3. Marychurch, Judith. (4–7 July 2006). "Blurring the Lines of Environmental Responsibility: How Corporate and Public Governance was Circumvented in the Ok Tedi Mining Limited Disaster". Australasian Law Teachers Association – Refereed Conference Papers.
4. Hettler, J.. (1997). "Environmental impact of mining waste disposal on a tropical lowland river system: a case study on the Ok Tedi Mine, Papua New Guinea". Mineralium Deposita.
5. "Mine Closure Planning". [[Ok Tedi Mining]].
6. "PNG to take over Ok Tedi". Aspermont Ltd..
7. (12 February 2014). "Ok Tedi's interested parties". Aspermot Ltd..
8. (20 January 2007). "Villagers sue BHP Billiton for $5bn". Fairfax Media.
9. "BREAKING NEWS: PNG Govt seizes Ok Tedi". PNG Industry News.
10. "PNG Report – Bhp "Confident" Despite Threat Of Ok Tedi Legal Action". PNG Report.
11. Garrett, Jemima. (10 February 2014). "Community control of Ok Tedi mine assets welcomed in Papua New Guinea's Western Province". Australia Network News.