COVID-19 no disruption to Lihir: Newcrest

The employee, a PNG national, flew into Lihir from the capital city of Port Moresby on July 30.

The individual was asymptomatic and moved from a designated isolation camp into a separate treatment facility established by Newcrest.

All people who travelled with the worker to Lihir did not have any symptoms and remained within Newcrest’s isolation camp. They had been subject to testing and had tested negative.

Further testing will be undertaken during the 14-day isolation period. Isolated employees need to pass the polymerase chain reaction test three times at different intervals and test a negative result to be released.

“To date, our testing and containment protocols have prevented disruption to the operation,” Newcrest stated.

The Lihir operation is on Aniolam Island, 900 kilometres from Port Moresby.

Newcrest produced 207,233 ounces of gold in the June quarter, up from 187,245 ounces in the previous quarter thanks to increases in head grade and recovery.

The company hit its production guidance during the 2020 financial year for Lihir with 775,978 ounces.