BY JIM GREEN

The PNG Environment Watch Group has condemned Australian mining company BHP's plans to pull out of the Ok Tedi copper mine in Papua New Guinea without rehabilitating the site.

BHP, which announced a record A$1.43 billion profit for the first half of the financial year, is rumoured to be planning to sell its share of Ok Tedi to Atlas, a US-based mining company.

Wep Kanawi, spokesperson for PNG Environment Watch Group, said on February 13 that BHP had made no commitment to address the environmental or social impact of its operations despite its recognition that the damage from the Ok Tedi mine would persist for decades. Kanawi said Ok Tedi will destroy about 2000 sq kms of forest, river gardens and fisheries.

Simon Divecha, campaign coordinator with the Mineral Policy Institute in Sydney, said that “If this mine was in Australia, it would never have been allowed to pump its waste into a river. In Australia, BHP would be required to pay to clean up and restore the damage.

“BHP should not expect to walk away from these obligations simply because the mine is not in Australia. The Australian government needs to legislate to ensure companies operating overseas are held accountable”, Divecha said.

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