AUSSIE MINING COMPANY BACKS OFF ON KOKODA TRAIL

PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT

Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center
With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai‘i

AUSSIE MINING COMPANY BACKS OFF ON KOKODA TRAIL
Offers to relinquish 15 kilometers of the famous trail

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, April 7, 2008) - Frontier Resources has offered a compromise to Mining Minister Puka Temu, proposing to relinquish 15 kilometers of the Kokoda Track that falls under its exploration license, when it is renewed.

[PIR editor’s note: Frontier Resources Ltd. is an Australian mining and exploration company. ]

The original license area granted to Frontier in 2004 included 40 kilometers or 40 percent of the Kokoda Track. Of this track, only 250 meters would remain in the exploration license for future road access under the new compromise. Previously, the proposed mine would have affected a 600m section of this track.

Frontier managing director Peter McNeil told PNGIndustryNews.net that this part of the track is the post World War II Kokoda Track, according to landowners, and his company was giving up every other piece of dirt track they have except for the 250m section for road access.

[PIR editor’s note: The Kokoda Track is a single-file foot trail that runs 96 kilometres (60 mi) overland through the Owen Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea . The trail is the location of a World War II battle between Japanese and Australian forces in 1942.]

Frontier said it had surveyed the 15km section and found no significant detriment to the development of its Kodu copper, gold and molybdenum deposit, but it does allow for a large cohesive area to be established as a "Kokoda Track Park."

Frontier said "tourism, exploration, mining and the advancement of our landowner partners can and should exist in a symbiotic relationship, sharing the vast advantages of this area."

The PNG national taskforce, a combination of government and non-government organizations, is assessing the renewal of Frontier’s exploration license and considering world heritage listing options.

Shares in Frontier last traded at 12 Australian cents.

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