The East Sepik provincial assembly in Papua New Guinea has voted against a major copper and gold mine project.
Papua New Guinea's East Sepik Provincial Assembly in deliberation. Photo: Supplied
The Frieda River Project, a planned large open cast mine with associated infrastructure in both East Sepik and neighbouring West Sepik, was first proposed decades ago.
However, the plans of Chinese-owned, Australian-incorporated company PanAust to build its mine just upstream of the Sepik River, the longest river on New Guinea, sparked concern among local communities.
Many locals are dependent on the river system for food, and it was feared that the mine's industrial footprint would cause permanent and significant devastation.
East Sepik's provincial legislature under the leadership of Governor Alan Bird has voted not to approve the project.