Newmont’s Ocean Dumping Practices Face Growing Backlash
US mining company Newmont continues to dispose of millions of tonnes of toxic waste into the ocean at Papua New Guinea’s Lihir mine each year. The company’s proposed Wafi Golpu copper-gold project could add another 360 million tonnes of mine waste into the Huon Gulf over its lifespan.
Newmont inherited these operations after acquiring Newcrest Mining in 2023 but has a long history of ocean dumping. The company previously owned and operated Indonesia’s Minahasa Raya and Batu Hijau mines, which similarly discharged large quantities of waste into the ocean. Following public backlash, the Indonesian government pursued pollution charges against Newmont executives, though legal action was unsuccessful. In response, Newmont launched civil lawsuits against local scientists.
Lihir and Wafi Golpu are among the few remaining mines employing submarine tailings disposal, a controversial method facing strong opposition in Papua New Guinea and Norway. Storebrand Asset Management, Norway’s largest private asset manager, has excluded Newmont from its investment portfolio due to these practices. Storebrand previously divested from companies engaging in marine or riverine tailings disposal, as well as deep-sea mining, cutting ties with Chinese miner MCC in 2020 over the Ramu nickel-cobalt mine’s environmental damage.
If Wafi Golpu proceeds, mine waste containing arsenic, lead, mercury, and other heavy metals could threaten the ecologically rich Coral Triangle, impacting the livelihoods and health of over 400,000 people along the Huon Gulf. Community opposition remains strong, with claims that Newmont and its partner Harmony Gold failed to obtain free, prior, and informed consent from affected populations.
This controversy highlights growing investor scrutiny of ocean dumping practices. Environmental advocates urge investors to adopt policies protecting marine ecosystems from mining waste and to divest from companies persisting with outdated disposal methods. The No Wafi-Golpu DSTP campaign continues to rally against the project to safeguard Papua New Guinea’s coastal communities and biodiversity.
