Rennell Island bauxite mine
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| Location | |
|---|---|
| Location | Rennell Island |
| Country | Solomon Islands |
| Production | |
| Products | Bauxite |
| History | |
| Opened | Around 2011 |
| Closed | 2020 |
| Owner | |
| Company | Bintang Delapan Group (among others) |
Bauxite mining on Rennell Island began on the west side of the island in about 2011. Rennell Island is part of the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean.[1] Bintang Delapan Group is one of the major operators of the mine, subcontracted by Asia Pacific Investment Development.[2]
The mine has had multiple spills, causing environmental damage, and local residents say they have not benefited from the mine in proportion to the damage it has caused. The government acknowledged that the mine was poorly regulated. The mining lease was cancelled in October 2020, although the mining company has contested this cancellation in court.[2]
Location
Rennell Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and neighbouring Bellona Island have a combined population of around 3,000 people.[3]
A 2011 to 2021 uptick in bauxite mining in the area occurred around the same time as logging activities.[1]
History
The mining company paid the government of the Solomon Islands US$17.8m in 2020 and US$16.4m in 2019.
Authorities estimate that about 50% of the bauxite deposit was exported between 2014 and 2021.[1] In 2021, the Solomon Islands government reported that Bintang Delapan had failed to pay taxes and royalties on one third of the bauxite shipments they had exported since 2015, leaving the company owing around AU $16 million of unpaid taxes.[2]