Papua New Guinea's prime minister James Marape has met with the executives of the owners of Enga province's controversial Porgera gold mine.
Porgera mine. Photo: wikicommons / Richard Farbellini
The chief executive of Canadian company Barrick Gold Mark Bristow, along with Chinese company Zijin's executive director George Fang, were in Port Moresby yesterday
Globe Newswire reported the Porgera Joint venture owners met with Mr Marape to convey their "commitment to working with government and local communities".
With the venture's special mining lease to expire in August, the mining companies are negotiating with PNG authorities to renew the lease for a further 20 years.
However, Porgera landowners have been urging PNG's mining authority not to renew the lease.
Landowners claim that Barrick and its partner have failed to adequately redress environmental and social devastation caused by the mine over almost thirty years of production.
While in the country, Mr Bristow also held meetings with Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas, Porgera landowners, and other stakeholders in the mining operation.