Strickland River


The Strickland River is a river in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea, and is the largest tributary of the Fly River. It was named after Edward Strickland, vice-president of the Geographical Society of Australasia by the New Guinea Exploration Expedition of 1885.

Environmental concerns

The Porgera Gold Mine, run by Barrick Gold, is a mine near the Strickland, which is the source of environmental concerns in the area. Since 1992, Barrick Gold has dumped mine waste, particularly metal particulates or tailings, directly into the river. This process of riverine disposal by the mine has led to much controversy, with numerous deaths and environmental problems being blamed on the metal particulates.