Bougainville
From IntFX
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[edit] Brief overview
Bougainville is the principal island of the northern group of the Solomon Islands . It is approximately 190km long by 50 km wide. An island of great natural beauty, it features a steep mountain range, in parts more than 2,500 metres high. The soil is mainly volcanic. Mt Bagana at 200m is an active volcano. Bougainville has relatively little flat land except in the northern and coastal areas. Its fertile areas coupled with rainfall which rises to 5000mm a year in the mountain areas, allows copra and cocoa to be grown successfully as commercial crops. Until 1989, more copper, copra and cocoa were exported from Bougainville than from any other place in Papua New Guinea.[1]
[edit] Location
Bougainville is an island in the Pacific, East of Papua.[2]
[edit] Producton start date
The production phase of its gold-copper mining claims in South Cotabato province by 2010.[3]
[edit] Deposit size
Estimated ore reserves within the limits of the planned open pit were approximately 900 million tonnes of ore averaging 0.48% copper and 0.55 grams of gold per tonne. It was expected that the concentrate to be shipped would contain approximately 30% copper, 1 ounce gold per tonne and some silver.[4]
[edit] Capital Cost
The mine has been heavily damaged by fighting on the island, and some analysts estimate it would cost $US1.5 billion ($2 billion) to re-open.[5]
[edit] Notes
Its an open pit mine.
[edit] External Analysis
Major Groups and Individuals Involved with the Conflict Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) BCL is owned 53.9% by Rio Tinto, 19.1% by the PNG government and 27.3% by public shareholders. Bougainville People's Congress Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) - Ishmael Toroama - commander of the BRA.Joseph Kabui - political leader of the BRA, and also leads the Bougainville People's Congress. Bougainville Resistance Force (BRF) Mekamui Defence Forces (Defence Forces of the Sacred Land) - Francis Ona is the leader of the Mekamui Defence Forces (Defence Forces of the Sacred Land). Francis was the leader of the original Bougainville rebellion and a member of the landowning clan that rose up against the Panguna copper mine in 1988. Ona is advised by a team that includes William Nakin and Michael Poposan, two businessmen from Buka. Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) - Armed forces of the State of Papua New Guinea. Peace Monitoring Group (PMG) - The PMG played a crucial role in facilitating the peace process and supervise the ceasefire. It comprised a mix of unarmed military and civilian personnel from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Vanuatu. The group ceased activities in mid-2003 handing over to the Bougainville Transition Team.Bougainville Transition Team (BTT) - The BTT was a small, unarmed team of civilians from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Vanuatu deployed for a six month period in the second half of 2003 on the withdrawl of the PMG. The team helped maintain confidence and facilitate the peace process.[6]
