Focusing on the CMCA Review and the 2050 Life-of-Mine Plan
VI Group CEO Chris Li Attends Ok Tedi Strategic Mining Meeting
March 2025, VI Group Chief Executive Officer Chris Li was invited to visit the Ok Tedi mine site in Western Province, Papua New Guinea, to attend a strategic mining meeting organised by Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML). The meeting focused on key topics including the long-term sustainability of mine operations, optimisation of resource development pathways, and community and environmental responsibility.
The meeting was held against the backdrop of the ongoing Community Mine Continuation Agreement (CMCA) review process. OTML outlined its advancing 2050 Life-of-Mine (LOM) plan, which represents a comprehensive approach aligning resource value realisation with long-term community wellbeing and national development objectives. Beyond operational continuity and production sustainability, the plan is highly dependent on a stable, transparent and inclusive social governance framework. As a critical institutional foundation for Ok Tedi’s long-term operations, the CMCA review, through continuous consultation mechanisms at both regional and community levels, provides essential social governance support for the mine’s medium to long term strategic planning.
During the meeting, participants discussed the potential impacts of mine life extension on regional economic development, coordination of infrastructure and public services, employment and skills transfer mechanisms, and the maintenance of community trust and social consensus. These discussions underscored the importance of integrating technical feasibility, regulatory compliance and social acceptance within a full life-cycle approach to mine planning. As a professional institution specialising in mining investment, whole-of-mine life-cycle management and transformation strategy, VI Group shared its experience and insights in areas including mine life extension, long-term capacity planning, capital structure optimisation and risk governance.
Chris Li noted that, within VI Group’s operating philosophy, mine life planning should not be viewed as a purely engineering or resource-based exercise. Rather, it is a systemic undertaking that requires a long-term balance across social, environmental and economic objectives. Looking ahead, VI Group will continue to monitor developments in Papua New Guinea’s mining sector and, while fully respecting local laws, regulatory frameworks and community consultation outcomes, will actively engage in discussions relating to mine life planning, strategic advisory services and cross-border resource cooperation, supporting the long-term and stable development of mining assets.
An additional highlight of the visit was the discovery that trucks operating at the mine site are supplied by XCMG (XCMG Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.). As a leading Chinese manufacturer of mining equipment, XCMG has in recent years been actively expanding its presence in international mining markets, advancing the localisation and technical validation of mining equipment across multiple overseas operations. At the Ok Tedi mine, XCMG trucks are working in collaboration with the operator on trial operations and scenario testing of electric mining trucks, exploring transport solutions that balance efficiency, safety and emissions reduction under complex terrain and high-intensity operating conditions. For mining professionals who have long worked on the front lines of the industry, seeing Chinese mining equipment and technologies contributing to the operations of globally significant mine sites is a source of shared pride, reflecting both the accumulation of industry capability and a broader trend toward higher standards and more sustainable forms of international mining collaboration.