Source: The National, Thursday July 30th, 2015
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill says Ok Tedi Mining Ltd’s temporary shutdown is
part of necessary cost-cutting measures to address the fall in global prices of
copper and ore.
He said it had significantly affected the revenue of OTML.
“Last week, I met with chairman Sir Moi Avei and managing director Peter Graham in relation to this particular matter,” he said.
He said the temporary shutdown of the mine was caused by not being able to export copper because of the inability to transport ore out on the Fly River because of the dry weather.
“As a result, there are no ships going in and out of Ok Tedi, not able to bring food supplies and fuels to keep the power generation and other services going on in mine,” he said.
“This is affecting the ability of the company to maintain services and of course, communities and families in Tabubil. It is a temporary shutdown and they are going to put the mine into care and maintenance.”
He said the company, meanwhile, will “repair some of the assets and machineries, which have been outstanding for quite some time”.
Some local and expatriate employees have been sent home following the company’s announcement last Friday of the temporary shutdown
He said it had significantly affected the revenue of OTML.
“Last week, I met with chairman Sir Moi Avei and managing director Peter Graham in relation to this particular matter,” he said.
He said the temporary shutdown of the mine was caused by not being able to export copper because of the inability to transport ore out on the Fly River because of the dry weather.
“As a result, there are no ships going in and out of Ok Tedi, not able to bring food supplies and fuels to keep the power generation and other services going on in mine,” he said.
“This is affecting the ability of the company to maintain services and of course, communities and families in Tabubil. It is a temporary shutdown and they are going to put the mine into care and maintenance.”
He said the company, meanwhile, will “repair some of the assets and machineries, which have been outstanding for quite some time”.
Some local and expatriate employees have been sent home following the company’s announcement last Friday of the temporary shutdown
Miner to keep more
locals
Source:The National, Thursday July 30th, 2015
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill says the Ok Tedi Mining Ltd will keep more
local workers to continue working at the mine.
“And those who are not needed will be repatriated back to their destinations until when the river levels come back to normal,” he said.
Telefomin MP Solan Mirisim had asked the Government to send a team to Tabubil to investigate why the OTML management was using the dry weather and low metal prices as an excuse to carry out a massive retrenchment, redundancy and lay-off exercise.
“Employees and their families, contractors and the people of Western, including surrounding areas are currently shocked at the short notice of the temporary shutdown from the management last Friday,” he said.
Mirisim said the notice was effective from Monday.
“And those who are not needed will be repatriated back to their destinations until when the river levels come back to normal,” he said.
Telefomin MP Solan Mirisim had asked the Government to send a team to Tabubil to investigate why the OTML management was using the dry weather and low metal prices as an excuse to carry out a massive retrenchment, redundancy and lay-off exercise.
“Employees and their families, contractors and the people of Western, including surrounding areas are currently shocked at the short notice of the temporary shutdown from the management last Friday,” he said.
Mirisim said the notice was effective from Monday.
New road to help
ore transport
Source:The National, Thursday July 30th, 2015
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill says a new access road is being built to solve the problem of transporting ore by river at Tabubil, Western, for Ok Tedi Mining Ltd.
“The Government is building a new access road to Aiambak that has much higher level of access in terms of the water levels,” he said.
“Larger boats can take food, fuels and medicine supplies through that area. We will use the new access road in the future to bring ore out of the mine and of course, continue the mine to have a long-term sustainable operation.”
Telefomin MP Solan Mirisim had asked whether the Government had in place a long-term solution to assist OTML. He suggested that the Government build other ports somewhere in Lake Murray or Aiambak or have a road link to the mine
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