Vital Waste Graphics

18

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).