Run-of-mine ore stockpiles, crushing facilities, pit dewatering wells and mine support facilities are located in the Ladolam Creek valley, immediately to the north of the ultimate pit boundary.

The process plant is on the north-western side of Putput Point on the relatively flat land adjacent to the shoreline and on the more gentle lower slopes of the eastern end of Luise Caldera.

A public road was constructed from Putput to the accommodation centre at the Londolovit plantation, and from there to the airstrip at Kunaie and on to the limestone quarry at Tanandon. Existing road alignment between Putput and Londolovit was used where practicable, with the road widened and strengthened to carry passenger vehicles, buses and trucks. A public road from Putput to Palie Mission has also been widened and improved, and the island ring road has been completed from Palie Mission to Kunaie village. Public roads are 6.5 m wide, with a coronous pavement.

Haul roads join the ultimate pit boundary to the crushing facilities and run-of-mine stockpiles at Ladolam and to the barge loading dock in Luise Harbour. The haul road to that dock extends northwards along the shoreline to the low grade ore stockpile for Kapit.

Haul roads are designed for 140 t rear dump trucks, and have a width of 23 m between berms or shoulders. Road construction comprised a crushed rock base course on a sub-base of broken weak rock or coronous material.

An environmental laboratory has been built and field and laboratory equipment provided for air and water sampling, steam gauging, sediment sampling, fish sampling, weather monitoring, oceanographic monitoring and industrial hygiene measurements.

Fresh water, required in the processing plant for ore treatment, and as a source of potable water, has an estimated total average demand of 3517 m³/h. A weir and a reservoir of 100 ML capacity was constructed on the Londolovit River, which is the nearest available source generally able to provide this flow rate. From there, the water is pumped through a buried pipeline to the process water tank at the plant site at Putput.

During periods of drought, the flow in the Londolovit River may decrease to less than the demand. Sea water may also be used at those times in some sections of the process.

A potable water plant draws water from the process water tank at Putput for filtering and chlorination. Potable water is then distributed throughout the process plant site and to the crushing and support facilities at Ladolam.

Potable water for Londolovit accommodation centre is supplied through a pipeline from wells in the Londolovit valley to a treatment plant at the accommodation centre. Potable water supply to the pre-existing Londolovit village, and the relocated Putput village, is through pipelines fed from small weirs on the upper reaches of minor streams adjacent to each village.

The process sea water pumping station contains three vertical shaft turbine pumps supplying sea water to the power plant, oxygen plant and counter-current decantation circuit. It is located near the shore at the north-eastern corner of the processing plant.

An operational environmental management unit has been established to take responsibility for ensuring that the project meets all environmental regulatory requirements. The unit includes an agricultural section that assists with island-wide agricultural projects, as well as disturbed area rehabilitation which is proceeding concurrently with construction.

Facilities for handling and transport of the various fuels, reagents and consumables required by the processing plant are located near the general ship berth and the processing plant.

Heavy fuel oil (HFO) discharges from oil tankers to two bulk storage tanks using the supplying tanker's pumps. These HFO tanks measure 36.6 m in diameter by 14.6 m high and have a total capacity of 26 500 t. An estimate of average HFO consumption is 205 t/d.

Using the supplying tanker's pumps, distillate (diesel fuel oil) discharges to two bulk storage tanks of 18.3 m diameter by 14.6 m high. These tanks have a total capacity of 6000 t. Average distillate consumption is estimated at 70 t/d.

The lay-down areas adjacent to the general shop berth at Putput are used to store containers (both full and empty) and for other general cargo awaiting transfer to appropriate storage areas.

The airstrip at Kunaie has a runway 1200 m long and 23 m wide, with an unsealed coronous surface. It complies with the requirements for a standard PNG Class X airstrip and is suitable for use by such aircraft as the Dash 7 (40 passengers) and Dash 8 (36 passengers) as well as the Embraer Bandeirante (16 passengers), Super King Air (10 passengers) Twin Otter (18 passengers), and the Citation Jet (8 passengers).

The airstrip includes a taxiway and aircraft parking area for up to three aircraft. Runway lighting is provided for night operations, and there is a non-directional beacon to aid navigation.

A terminal building next to the aircraft parking area contains arrival and departure facilities and baggage handling equipment. Fuel storage and distribution facilities, equipped with regulation fire-fighting equipment, are sited adjacent to the aircraft parking area.

Marine facilities are installed to service oil tankers, general cargo ships, passenger ferries and work boats. Putput wharf can berth general cargo ships of up to 10 000 DWT, and oil tankers of up to 12 000 DWT, with draughts to 11.5 m. The wharf is 75 m long and is constructed from steel sheet piling. To achieve the required depth in front of the wharf, the coral material was used for back-fill behind the wharf. General cargo ships breast against the wharf, from where most holds are accessible without warping. For fuel unloading at the wharf, oil tankers secure in position from mooring dolphins constructed on the edge of the coral reef away from each end of the wharf.

Small boats with a draught up to 2 m, berth in a harbour excavated in the coral platform. Two markers powered by solar charged batteries mark the entrance to the small boat harbour.

Several small boats service the western side of Lihir Island and the outlying islands of Mahur, Masahet and Mali. Permanent marine facilities have been constructed at these locations for passenger loading and unloading.

Water and power services are provided to the wharf area. Floodlighting is installed at the wharf and lay-down areas.

Support buildings include a main office, laboratory, training building, warehouse and bond store, plant workshop, and an emergency and security services building. The main office is a single-storey structure providing office space for the Managing Director, and administrative staff including:

• Company Secretary

• Commercial Manager

• Site Services Manager

The laboratory contains facilities for assaying, and for metallurgical and environmental testing. All necessary equipment and furniture is provided, together with areas for sample preparation and storage.

The training building contains three classrooms, a training workshop, a training laboratory and a technical library.

The warehouse is a steel framed, metal clad building, set on a reinforced concrete slab. There is a large open space within the building for storage either on racks or on pallets, as well as a separate bonded goods storage area. Office space for warehouse personnel, purchasing personnel, the Harbour Master and staff, the Customs officers is included.

The plant workshop is a steel framed building, with metal clad roofing and sides, set on a reinforced concrete slab. The main functions of this building are machine room, plant maintenance and welding, electrical and instrumentation maintenance and a light vehicles wash-down area.

An emergency and security building is located at the entrance of the plant site. A steel framed building incorporates the gatehouse, as well as undercover parking for the ambulance, fire trucks and mine rescue trailer. A small first aid room, drivers' quarters, offices of the security chief and duty guard, and storage space for rescue and fire-fighting equipment is also included.

 Support Equipment and Services

Support equipment and services provide for personnel transport, process plant mobile equipment, communications, emergency and fire services and sanitation. The mobile equipment necessary for maintenance and operations at the process plant includes mobile cranes, front-end loaders, trucks for equipment transfer and clean-up, cherry-pickers, backhoes and lubrication trucks.

Telephone services are installed to Lihir Island from the PNG network by satellite. A digital microwave link links Putput and the Londolovit accommodation centre. A four-channel satellite backup system is also installed.

A PABX system services facilities at Putput, Ladolam and Londolovit, and cable networks distribute the services to all required locations. There is a mobile radio system with seven channels for the process plant and the mine, as well as a pocket paging system with two channels. There is also a marine radio system which comprises VHF and HF base stations, using marine operations frequencies, together with an aeronautical radio system using VHF aircraft frequencies.

A computer network is connected to all offices and control rooms. The major application system used is MIMS which operates on a computer housed in the plant administration building. This facility is maintained remotely by the suppliers, MINCOM Pty Ltd, from Australia.

Radio and television reception is by means of satellite receivers and a cable distribution system connected to selected centres within the Londolovit accommodation centre.

Fire protection for the facilities at Putput and Ladolam comprise diesel and electric fire pumps, a jacking pump, distribution fire mains and fire hydrants. A fire protection system for Londolovit accommodation centre is installed as part of that facility.

A sewerage system for sanitary waste water from support facilities at Putput and Ladolam includes gravity sewers, manholes, sewage pumping stations and rising mains. Waste water is treated in a package treatment plant and is discharged by an ocean out-fall pipeline to 30 m depth. The airstrip terminal building is equipped with septic tanks.

Londolovit accommodation centre includes housing and single persons’ quarters, recreation facilities, a police station, community facilities and service buildings. The roads in the accommodation centre are 6 m wide, with an unsealed coronous surface.

Potable water is pumped from the Londolovit valley to a tank and water treatment plant for filtration and chlorination, before being distributed throughout the accommodation centre via a network of underground water mains. Fire protection is by a series of fire hydrants on the potable water mains, with pressure boosting during fire-fighting by diesel and electric fire pumps.

Sewage disposal is through underground gravity sewers, which flow to two sewage pumping stations. The sewage is then pumped to a packaged treatment plant located near Lakunbut Creek. The treated effluent drains through a gravity pipeline extending from the treatment plant to the shoreline near the Lakunbut Creek outlet and continuing as a sub-sea pipeline to a depth of 30 m.

Power supply is distributed by overhead power lines, and street lighting and area lighting is provided throughout the accommodation centre area.

The following permanent accommodation is provided or planned:

• 50 houses and 16 duplexes for a total of 82 senior staff living on site with their families;

• single persons’ quarters for commuting personnel;

• 31 houses for Government employees

Two kitchens and dining rooms, with toilet blocks, laundries and an office have been constructed to service the accommodation centre.

The recreation facilities comprise:

• a recreation centre,

• 2 tennis courts;

• a swimming pool;

• a general purpose sports field;

• a basket ball court;

• children’s playground;

• barbecue areas;

• two gymnasiums;

• squash court

A police station, comprising a block work building, has three cells, offices, a holding yard and a vehicle storage compound. The following additional community facilities have been constructed:

• Local and National Government Offices

• community Relations and Business Development Offices

• Business Development area including Supermarkets, Maintenance Shops, office spaces and general trade;

• bank, post office and amenities block;

• an open market consisting of a timber framed building with open sides;

• a medical centre consisting of an eight-bed ward, a two-bed ward, an X-ray and treatment room, a trauma receival area, delivery room, a dental treatment room pharmacy and two consultation rooms;

• central bus station;

• an international primary school comprising a small library, staff area, covered play area, change-rooms and four classrooms;

• an accommodation centre maintenance workshop.