Operations at the Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea have been shutdown again, only days after the world-class mine had resumed operations, following an earlier shutdown caused by disgruntled employees.

In a statement yesterday PVJ officials said that vandals had cut down a power pylon along the Hides power transmission line last week, effectively shutting down operations at the mine.

According to statement by mining officials to The Post Courier, a mine such as Porgera would lose about K1 million (US$332,000) for every day its operations were disrupted.

Acting general manager at the mine, Frazer Bourchier, confirmed the incident from Porgera yesterday.

This criminal activity not only affects the Porgera mine but also the Paiam Hospital, government offices, schools, health facilities, businesses and the homes of ordinary people, Frazer said.

"These people are reckless and have no regard for us or our property and we must all work together to try and bring them to justice and discourage this type of behaviour for the future", he said.

The Hides power transmission line supplies power from the Hides gas fields in the southern highlands to the Porgera mine and other areas, including the Porgera Station, Paiam Town and the surrounding villages.

Bourchier said this was the fifth time in less than a year that the transmission line, which is owned and operated by the Porgera Joint Venture, had been vandalised. Similar incidents occurred in March, April, July and November last year.

A helicopter inspection revealed that a pylon had been felled and although the damaged pylon was taken back to the site two days later, the new post could not be installed due to continuous bad weather. Work on the repairs is due to be completed today.