The discovery of the Panguna deposit and its identification as one of the world's largest porphyry copper ore bodies initiated evaluation studies, planning and design, which led to the construction of the giant $400,000,000 Bougainville Copper Mine.
The story of this magnificent Engineering and Construction achievement is told in this book by the planners, consultants, designers, contractors and suppliers themselves, who, on a tropical island of mountains, jungle and swamp, created and brought into full-scale operation - ahead of sechedule and within budget - the world's largest start-up copper mine.
An article on page 215 by Stuart Inder, the editor of the Pacific Islands Monthly which reported the developing story of the Bougainville copper mine from the very beginning, is reproduced here unabridged and hopefully without breaking any copyright laws, to give an impression of what the construction phase was like in the early 70s (click on images to enlarge print):
Arawa in its early days
Arawa in its early days
... and on page 164 P. Towndrow of Pioneer Concrete Services sums up the working conditions and staffing problems existing in this remote location:
"A 60 hour, 6 day week was normally worked, generally with plenty of overtime. An average wage for an expatriate would be $180 per week, and for an indigene $20 per week. Both got free accommodation and meals. Expatriates signed on for a six-month contract. Their air fare from Australia to site was deducted from their pay over a three-month period and was refunded in full after the completion of three months' satisfactory service. They earned a free return air ticket after completing six months of satisfactory service.
Thus wages and working conditions were very good. However, the absence of one's family, and lack of amenities and outside interests, particularly in the early days, kept many good men away from the Project.
To me the secret of success for a short-term contractor on Bougainville or on any remote area project, is to initially flood the job with expatriate labour, for it is almost impossible to initially get quality manpower. Therefore, the only other alternative is to go for quantity. This may seem expensive but it is preferable to not meeting your contractural obligations. Because of union policy, if an incompetent worker was brought to site you were stuck with him for at least six months, thus all employees should be closely screened before appointment, and even then one is forced to take the best of what is offering and this may not be too good."
I say "Amen" to that! And as for a vivid description, this article written by the general manager of the Commonwealth Trading Bank of Australia, although not one of the typical contractors on the project, is more than typical of the conditions at the time:
"Rain, mud, dust, heat, boredom." These are deep in the memories not just of the men who established the Commonwealth Bank on Bougainville.
"The strike that made all Bougainville laugh was when a ship was delayed and there was no Victoria Bitter beer. Plenty of other brands, but no V.B." And as Peter Doolan said: "We all felt, as we watched the mine and the towns (and the Bank) grow, that we were part of a great achievement under at times trying conditions... I used to tell the youngsters on my staff: 'You're seeing things you'll never see again.'" And so say all of us!
