"Porgera goldmine opening delayed again", 18 October 2023

Papua New Guinea's acting prime minister John Rosso says the critically important Porgera goldmine in Enga Province is now due to open in the new year.

There had been hopes it would open [...] but various factors have caused delays.

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Rosso admits the law and order issues around the mine site remain a serious matter.

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PNG Business News reports that the chief executive of Barrick, Mark Bristow, has said that subject to agreement on compensation, the mine was positioned to restart before the end of this year.

He said recruitment was being accelerated to employ the full workforce that will be required for when the mine starts ramping up operations as soon as those agreements are in place.

"It's been a long road, but the end is now in sight," Bristow said.

"Negotiations between Barrick, the government and the other stakeholders required patience and persistence but the spirit of partnership in which they were conducted eventually led to an outcome acceptable to all.

"Barrick's commitment to partnership with its host countries is also reflected in NPL's ownership structure, which ensures the equitable sharing of the value created by Porgera with all stakeholders," he said.