Mine resumes ops after suspension

OK Tedi mining operations in Western resumed safely on April 1 after a two-week suspension following a surge in the Covid-19 cases at the company’s sites.
According to a statement from Ok Tedi Mining Ltd (OTML), the suspension was to minimise the spread of the virus and to conduct mass testing of the workforce in order to allow the negative cases to return to work and to manage the positive cases.
A total of 10,000 Covid-19 PCR (polymerase chain reaction) swab samples were collected during the suspension period.
This was in addition to more than 21,000 samples collected since the beginning of the year.
OTML provides regular updates of its testing results to the National Control Centre.
The majority of samples collected during the suspension period were sent to a laboratory in Australia for testing and analysis and the company continues to use the Australian laboratory to validate samples analysed onsite.
Personnel who enter through OTML’s entry point centre in Port Moresby prior to coming to site were tested through a medical laboratory in Port Moresby sanctioned by the National Pandemic controller.
“For the resumption of operations, the company has tightened its Covid-19 control measures to prevent another surge in positive cases,” Ok Tedi said.
“These measures include all personnel entering designated entry point centres for a 10-day quarantine period and undergoing two Covid-19 tests with negative results prior to returning to site or resuming work.”