The Chairman and Managing Director of Bougainville Copper Limited, Mr Peter Taylor, has told the 2016 Annual General Meeting that the company remains committed to the vision of sustainable mining on Bougainville.

In his address to the AGM held at the Grand Papua Hotel in Port Moresby on Wednesday, 2 June 2016, Mr Taylor outlined the activities of the past year and was positive about the growing strength of the company's relationships in the autonomous region.

'The company has had positive engagement with many of the local interest groups from the project area, including landowners,' Mr Taylor told the audience, which included shareholders.

'While there are some landowners opposed to reopening the mine for a range of reasons there appears to be a clear majority in favour of redevelopment.

'Throughout the year,' Mr Taylor continued, 'the company management maintained its own fruitful dialogue with a wide range of Bougainvillean interest groups.

'There is a wide range of interests, and we are trying to listen to them all.'

Mr Taylor also stated that BCL is still committed to the potential resumption of mining.

'The vision to return to active exploration and profitable, sustainable mining remains,' Mr Taylor said.

'The company is well positioned to recognise the opportunities inherent in recent challenges, and to maintain progress in a new year.

'I believe a majority of the Bougainville people, who will soon participate in a referendum on Independence, clearly see the importance of economic self-sufficiency that could potentially be provided by mineral resource exploration and development.'

The AGM also saw the re-election of Dame Carol Kidu to the BCL board of directors. Dame Carol joined the board in April 2013.

Also present at the AGM were the other members of the BCL board, Sir Rabbie Namaliu, Robert Burns, Adam J. Burley and the BCL Company Secretary, Mark Hitchcock.