Reportedly, the Porgera gold mine located in Papua New Guinea apos s western highlands and operated by Placer Nuigini, a local subsidiary of Placer Dome Inc., dumps 40,000 tonnes of tailings per day into the Strickland Maiapam River and has no tailings retention facilities.

The Boac River, however, remains unsuitable for domestic and agricultural purposes because of heavy siltation from the mine tailings.

Following the flotation of the peso on 22 December, a lack of confidence on the part of portfolio investors precipitated large scale repatriation of their financial investments.

In addition, in many areas the hazards of natural origin interact with those of technological and human origin, such as inadequate waste disposal in riverbeds, industrial waste and mine tailings.

2. With respect to the alleged mass poisoning of 4,000 people in 24 villages and toxicological risk to more than 10,000 people of Marinduque as a result of the Marcopper Mining Company mine tailings spill incident of 24 March 1996 (para. 44), there is no evidence that acute poisoning occurred in the exposed population due to mine tailings or that there is an immediate threat to human health as a result of the leakage.

MCC has been a shareholder directly holding approximately one third of ARE s outstanding shares other shareholders have been BEH Minerals (a Malaysian company engaged in collecting and segregating mineral ores or Amang out of the tin tailings) and other Malaysian investors.

(a) From an environmental point of view, PTFI has committed itself to taking the necessary measures in tailings and overburden management with a view to maintaining and promoting environmental protection in the area where it operates and eventually preventing it from becoming a ghost town