Rio Tinto, Bouganville, ABG sign MoU to form Roundtable

Rio Tinto (RIO), Bougainville Copper Limited and the Autonomous Bougainville Government have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to form a Roundtable to address the findings of the Panguna Mine Legacy Impact Assessment. The independent PMLIA is based on two years of data collection overseen by an Oversight Committee that includes representatives from local communities and both Government of Papua New Guinea and ABG officials. Engineering firm Tetra Tech Coffey, which conducted the study and reported to an independent secretariat, presented the findings to Panguna communities in October 2024. The PMLIA Report is expected to be published later this month. Under the MoU, the Roundtable parties will work together, consult with impacted communities, and establish a process to agree on how to remedy actual and potential impacts identified in the PMLIA. President of Bougainville Ishmael Toroama said: “The PMLIA has been an important initiative for the ABG and for impacted communities. Rio Tinto and BCL should be commended for stepping up and supporting the assessment, as well as the clan representatives on the Oversight Committee who have been a vital bridge to their communities throughout the process.”