Mining waste disposal plan in Papua New Guinea sparks environmental concerns

Mining companies Newmont from the United States and Harmony Gold from South Africa are planning to extract copper and gold in the Morobe Province of Papua New Guinea. Due to a lack of suitable inland storage sites, the companies intend to discharge approximately 360 million tons of mining waste into the sea via a 100-kilometer pipeline.

Reports indicate that this waste will contain heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, and mercury, raising concerns about a potential ecological disaster. While the Papua New Guinea government supports the project due to expected economic benefits, the plan poses significant environmental risks to the coastal ecosystem.