By FRANK ASAELI
LOSS of lives and serious injuries to illegal miners are usually the aftermath of illegal mining (IM) at the Porgera Joint Venture (PJV) gold mine, manager of IM and social responsibility Steven Gimpel said.
“Illegal mining was one of the most important business critical issues affecting the Porgera Joint Venture,” Mr Gimpel told participants at the 7th PNG community affairs seminar at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Port Moresby yesterday.
He said IM is a growing global phenomenon with virtually every type of extractive industry being affected.
It will be worsened as the extractive industries increased operations in developing countries.
Mr Gimpel said Barrick Gold Corp recognises the risks that illegal mining poses to communities and to business and that the miner was determined to be an industry leader to address this issue.
Other risks of illegal mining were long-term health risks, environmental risks, loss of community support (population pressures, lack of community security, etc) and unsafe work environment (threat of violence to employees).
Illegal mining also damages companies’ reputations and their inability to physically operate safely.
“Illegal mining is a safety issue. Prevention of injury or death of all persons on the special mining lease is our focus,” Mr Gimpel said.