"The Panguna Mine Legacy Impact Assessment (PMLIA) was published in December 2024 and is a critical step forward in building understanding of the long-term legacy impacts of the former mine in Bougainville.

Rio Tinto continues to engage with the PMLIA Oversight Committee, and the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) through a Roundtable, to identify ways forward and key priority actions. Through the Oversight Committee, the Roundtable parties engage regularly with community leaders.

Important groundwork has been laid over the past year to move from assessment to action. Ongoing and continuing efforts by the Roundtable parties are underway to address certain impacts identified in the PMLIA:

• removal of structures that pose severe and imminent risks to nearby communities
• removal of hazardous materials associated with a risk to life from Loloho Port
• works to address the impact of flooding for Kuneka Creek communities
• geo-technical monitoring and hazard awareness campaigns to ensure local communities and small-scale miners are made aware of potential risks; and
• additional investigations to address the most critical impacts identified in the PMLIA.

Rio Tinto continues to support a water and sanitation project in Central Bougainville, in cooperation with the ABG, providing drinking water facilities and youth training to communities.

Any proposed response requires consultation with impacted communities, careful planning, alignment with Bougainville authorities, and a staged approach that ensures safety, sustainability and local ownership. We remain committed to this process and will continue to work with all Roundtable partners to identify sustainable action on the ground."

Rio Tinto's full response is attached above.