Porgera, Papua New Guinea - New Porgera Limited (NPL) has confirmed a significant presence of illegal miners at the Porgera gold mine, severely impacting its operations. In a recent statement, NPL highlighted the challenges posed by these unauthorized miners.
"Under the Mining Act, as with all mining projects in Papua New Guinea, the company has the right to exclusive occupancy of the land for its mining operations," NPL stated. "However, NPL is presently being wrongfully denied that right by the illegal miners."
NPL emphasized the gravity of the situation, describing it as a serious and ongoing law-and-order issue. The company has raised the matter with the relevant PNG government authorities, seeking appropriate action.
Owned 51% by Papua New Guinea's shareholders, NPL is obligated to pay royalties and taxes associated with its mining operations. These contributions benefit landowners, the wider Porgera community, Enga Province, and Papua New Guinea as a whole. "Illegal miners are denying the people of Papua New Guinea those benefits," NPL stated.
Adding to the region's challenges, the Porgera valley, including the Porgera gold mine, is experiencing a severe shortage of fuel and essential supplies. This crisis follows a landslide that has blocked all access routes in and out of the valley. The Kairik airport is also too short to accommodate large aircraft, further complicating supply efforts.
"All attempts to clear the landslide and reopen the road have been abandoned following an engineering assessment that the land is too unstable to move in heavy equipment to clear the tonnes of soil and debris," NPL reported.
The company also noted the tragic human cost of the disaster: "The whole area has been declared a mass burial site as hundreds of bodies remain buried in the rubble."
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