Investigation finds Rio Tinto legacy Bougainville mine poses life-threatening risks

MELBOURNE, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto's (RIO.AX), opens new tab legacy Bougainville mine poses imminent life-threatening risks to locals, a report showed on Friday, prompting communities to call for the global miner to take action.

Community and human rights groups have been pushing Rio Tinto to review issues around land, water and health arising from the Panguna copper mine that the global miner ran for nearly 20 years until civil war broke out in 1989.

Rio Tinto, which has not committed to compensation, agreed to fund a two-year investigation by environmental firm Tetra Tech Coffey, which found serious issues persist as a result of the mine.

The findings, released in a report on Friday, included "imminent, life-threatening risks posed by the collapsing mine pit, levees and infrastructure," as well as ongoing contamination of the Jaba-Kawerong river.

Rio Tinto recognises the gravity of the impacts and accepts the findings of the investigation, Chief Executiv...
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