Mining at Panguna included the direct discharge of tailings into tributaries of the Jaba River. The mine caused devastating environmental issues on the island, and the company was responsible for poisoning the entire length of the Jaba River, causing birth defects, as well as the extinction of the flying fox on the island.
At Panguna, mining involved discharging tailings directly into tributaries of the Jaba River. This mine caused significant environmental issues on the island, with the company responsible for contaminating the entire length of the Jaba River, leading to birth defects and the extinction of the flying fox.