PNG Court Denies Legal Action Against Rio Tinto Over Panguna Mine

Once heralded as a leading source of copper, the Panguna mine now stands dormant and unused.

Papua New Guinea’s National Court has thrown out a massive class-action case, totaling billions of dollars, against the Rio Tinto Group as well as a former division. This case involved complaints about damages believed to have been caused by the Panguna copper mine, a historically significant site within Bougainville.

Rio Tinto, the global mining giant and the world's second-largest by scale, once held a controlling interest in the Panguna copper mining operation. The mine, shared ownership with local entities, was forced to close in 1989 due to escalating conflicts that sparked a decade-long civil war, leaving up to 20,000 fatalities in its wake. In 2016, Rio Tinto relinquished its stake in the venture.