By Meriba Tulo – EMTV News, Port Moresby
Operations at the largest mine in Papua New Guinea, Ok Tedi (OTML), in Western province, recommenced today.
This follows the statutory safety approval granted by Mineral Resources Authority (MRA).
OTML Managing Director, Peter Graham, spoke to EMTV News from Tabubil today, outlining the immediate priorities for the mine.
“We are very pleased to be welcoming our employees back to site as operations progressively restart. We currently have about 800 employees on site and numbers will ramp up to full complement by mid-March,” said Graham.
“Our immediate focus is to make sure we operate safely. Returning employees attend a general site induction on arrival followed by a comprehensive workplace-specific induction on the day they return to their work place. Specific work competencies are also being validated,” Graham said.
It is welcome news for OTML, and especially Western province, as OTML’s decision to temporarily suspended operations in August 2015 amidst dry weather conditions had impacted many communities along the Fly River who depend on the mine.
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