Vital Waste Graphics
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19
East Sepik
West Sepik
Madang
Enga
Ok Tedi Mine
Western Highlands
Southern Highlands
FLY RIVER BASIN
Lake Murray
PA P U A N EW G U I N E A
Gulf
Western
Gold production
700 000 Ounces
I N D O N E S I A
Gulf of Papua
600 000
500 000
400 000
300 000
200 000
100 000
0
1995 1998
Source: MMSD, 2002 1985
1990
What can the people of the Ok Tedi and Fly Rivers expect The mine is due to close in 2010. The Papua New Guinea Sustainable Development Pro- gramCompany currently receives dividends of millions of dollars. Two thirds of this rev- enue is invested in a long-term fund (that will enable the company to contribute for at least four decades after the mine closes). The remaining third is spent on current de- velopment projects in the Western Province (home of the mine) and other areas in PNG. It is two early to tell whether the fund will be able to successfully address the continuing environmental damage or achieve signifi- cant sustainable development and job cre- ation. If not, the legacy of 30 years of mining in the clouds may be lasting environmental damage and cultural upheaval.
Clockwise from top left: Massive aggrada- tion of the Ok Tedi River downstream of Tabubil; three views of the forest dieback adjacent to the river; waste rock being un- loaded at an erodable dump. Heavy rainfall washes even coarse material downstream (photos courtesy of Ok Tedi Mining Limited).
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