#ok tedi

[duncangabi]

Let’s try to avoid the inevitable disaster of a Frieda Mine

By SAUSIA WAGUNWHEN the Ok Tedi mine was first developed in Papua New Guinea, little consideration was given to the people who lived along the banks of the Fly River.The river was their life. It was their food. Sago grew well in the swampy terrain and was a staple.Over the life of the mine the food, especially sago, became scarce as miles and miles of vegetation along the river died. The…

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[duncangabi]

Give Ok Tedi back to the people, or at least give them a big piece of the pie

Give Ok Tedi back to the people, or at least give them a big piece of the pie

The Ok Tedi Gold and Copper Mine has been in operation since 1985 One of Papua New Guinea’s biggest Gold and Copper Mine Ok Tedi will be shutting down operations in 2025. Western Province Governor Taboi Awi Yoto made a call that I believe is also the call of the people of Western Province to the Prime Minister to return the mine to the people. The Governor asked the National Government to give…

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PNG participates in a global transparency initiative for the resources industries

PNG participates in a global transparency initiative for the resources industries #PNG

Papua New Guinea has participated in its first report to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), which is a global effort to improve transparency in resource rich countries.

The PNG LNG plant under construction. Credit: ExxonMobil

The aim of the initiative is to help countries avoid the so-called ‘resource curse’. This is the phenomenon whereby natural resource wealth makes…

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Papua New Guinea mining and petroleum conference to emphasise need for stability: Chamber

Papua New Guinea mining and petroleum conference to emphasise need for stability: Chamber #PNG

Regulatory stability, and how industry and Government can work together to deliver ‘shared benefits,’ will be key themes of next week’s Papua New Guinea Mining and Petroleum Seminar in Port Moresby, according to PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum Executive Director, Greg Anderson.

The Star Mountains project is proving to be a positive for the mining industry in PNG. Credit: Highlands Pacific.

The…

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Ok Tedi mine closure could cost Papua New Guinea K2.7 billion

Ok Tedi mine closure could cost PNG K2.7 billion #PNG

The El Nino weather pattern which has seen the temporary closure of the Ok Tedi mine could potentially last for up to a year, according to former senior PNG agriculture business executive, Bob Hansen, adding the loss of mining income could be as much as K2.77 billion a year. Ok Tedi mine. Credit: ramumine.wordpress.com Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) has announced that it has closed the gold and…

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Curtain Bros planning huge, new dockside facilities at Motukea Island

Curtain Bros planning huge, new dockside facilities at Motukea Island #PNG

Civil engineering firm Curtain Bros has big plans for Motukea Island, as it prepares to build new dockside facilities alongside the soon-to-be relocated Port Moresby Port. General Manager Justin McGann outlines the Motukea plans, and other new company projects, to Business Advantage PNG.

Curtain Bros General Manager Justin McGann

Motukea Island in Fairfax Harbour, just 11 km north-west of Port…

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[bagelam]

Research in Papua New Guinea

I have been researching Papua New Guinea for 4 and a half years. It took me a long time to realise that I will always be fascinated by the country, that no other region outside of Melanesia would ever be as interesting. While I have a politics background, I am much more interested in the ethnographic research that has been done there. I really enjoy reading about secret cults and their practises, and especially folklore/cosmology/ancestor beings/masalai etc. Although my research has focused on something more tangible and western (planning for mine closure, and sustainability) I believe that I will probably go back and do more research around the Star Mountains and encounter more interesting things from remote communities, rather than those located directly in the footprint of a 30 year old mine. It really is an amazingly complex social and cultural landscape, and I have been very privileged to spend so much time there hanging around, listening to stories, looking at things, spending time with people who are now dear to me.  

I'm a bit sad to think that by the end of the year my PhD should be finished and I'll sign off on 4 years of graduate research. Then I'll have to get a job, and my fun times doing what I want will be over. Ok Tedi has been a relatively easy research topic because it is run by honest and open managers who are genuinely interested in my research.