...[M]ining and oil companies...are now taking on projects laden with environmental and socio-political risks that they might in the past have regarded as no-go ventures. Are these companies doing enough to minimise the potential negative impacts from these projects?... This article...looks at BHP Billiton’s nickel-mining interest on Gag, a tropical island off West Papua, Indonesia...[in] a joint venture...[with] Indonesian state company Antam... Gag...faces socio-political risks which potentially parallel those of [Freeport-McMoRan's mine at] Grasberg [also in West Papua]... As a minimum, the company needs to put in place the full suite of CSR approaches now accepted as best practice... [also refers to Rio Tinto]