As Bougainville Copper eyes a return to the autonomous Papua New Guinea region its chief executive says matters of compensation are likely to be resolved once the company is back mining at Panguna.
Panguna mine. Photo: Wellington Chocolate Factory
The Panguna mine and the environmental and social problems that resulted from it were the key factor in the ten-year-long Bougainville civil war.
The company, now has new shareholding, including a big stake held by the Autonomous Bougainville Government.
There has long been a push for compensation but CEO Mark Hitchcock said he would expect any resolution of such a call to come once the mine is back in action.
"We see that as part of the negotiations moving forward and that any sort of compensation that is considered would be dealt with during the life cycle of a new mine and done on a community based sort of project."
Mr Hitchcock said BCL laid out a timeline for a possible return to Panguna which would have the mine in production in the mid 2020s.