Kalia Ltd. was ordered to stop operations at its Mount Tore gold tenements on Papua New Guinea's Bougainville Island following the death of local geologist Terry Kilya on the property Dec. 12.
The notice from the Department of Mineral and Energy Resources asked the company to repatriate Kilya's body to his family, assist police in catching the perpetrators, and engage with the landowners and resolve all outstanding social issues including the land access fee payments.
The company said Dec. 19, citing firsthand witnesses, that Kilya experienced a fatal fall after the geology survey team was attacked by an outside group.
Seven other personnel had various stab wounds, lacerations and soft tissue injuries, according to the release.