Aust journo discourages Kokoda mining proposals

An Australian journalist last week urged the people living along the famous Kokoda Track in Oro and Central provinces to stop proposed mining activities along the track.
Channel seven journalist Jonathan Creek, who accompanied 16 young enthusiastic Australians, told his PNG colleagues at Owers Corner just outside Port Moresby, that the area was very beautiful and sacred for PNG and Australia.
“Once a mining company comes in, it will destroy the environment and will erase any historical binding between us,” he said.
“The people should consider their decision to allow mining companies to come in.”
Ironically, an Australian mining company Frontier is already working near the track.
Earlier, Australian prime minister John Howard also moved to scrap plans by Frontier to mine gold along the track, where more than 600 Australian soldiers lost their lives in some of the fiercest fighting in the second world war.
Mr Howard is prepared to tell his PNG counterpart Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare that Australia will not accept large-scale mining on the track, where thousands of Australian trekkers make an annual pilgrimage.
But Frontier has warned against ‘foreign government intervention’ over a gold deposit worth an estimated A$1.3 billion at current prices it has unearthed in the Mount Bini area, northeast of Port Moresby.
The 96km track passes right through Frontier’s 540sqkm Kodu exploration area, which is also estimated to contain almost A$400 million worth of copper.

Type In Your Name:

Type In Your E-mail:

Your Friend's E-mail:

Your Comments:

Receive copy: