Panguna Landowners express strong support for new redevelopment framework
Today the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) successfully completed stakeholder awareness and engagement meetings with Panguna landowners regarding the Bougainville Mining (Amendment) Act 2026 and the recent grant of Large-Scale Mining Lease No. 01 (LSML-01).
The engagement was led by President and Minister for Mining and Petroleum, Hon. Ishmael Toroama, with participation of members of the Central Parliamentary Committee led by Chairman Hon. Justin Borgia, Minister for Veterans Affairs Hon. Junior Dakei, and officials from the ABG Department of Mining and Petroleum.
Representatives of the Panguna Landowner Interim Council, Panguna landowners through the five clans, and veterans from the Panguna area participated in the engagement. Representatives of Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited (LMEL), the ABG's preferred development partner, were also present.
The awareness sessions provided stakeholders with detailed briefings on the Bougainville Mining (Amendment) Act 2026 , the special redevelopment pathway established for previously operating large-scale mines, the grant of LSML-01 to Bougainville Minerals Limited (BML) and the next steps required under the new legislative framework.
Participants expressed unanimous support for the amendments and the special redevelopment pathway established under the legislation. Stakeholders welcomed the amendment Act as a practical and necessary framework for advancing the redevelopment of Panguna in an orderly, responsible and accelerated manner.
Participants noted that the legislation maintains key protections relating to compensation, royalties, environmental approvals, community consultation and benefit-sharing arrangements, while also strengthening landowner participation through provisions for increased non-dilutable equity ownership at no cost. Landowners acknowledged that the amendments preserve and strengthen landowner rights, protections and safeguards.
Stakeholders also expressed strong support for the decision of the Bougainville Executive Council (BEC) to grant LSML-01 to Bougainville Minerals Limited and welcomed the announced partnership between Bougainville Minerals Limited and Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited as the preferred development partner for the project.
A consistent message emerging from the consultations was the desire of landowners, veterans and community representatives to move beyond discussion and towards implementation. Participants noted that redevelopment of Panguna has been the subject of discussion for many years and expressed their support for accelerated progress under the new legislative framework.
President Toroama welcomed the positive response from stakeholders and thanked landowners, veterans, community leaders and members of the Panguna Landowner Interim Council for their participation and constructive engagement.
"The message from landowners and communities was clear. They support the new redevelopment framework, they support stronger landowner participation and they want to see responsible redevelopment move forward in a practical and timely manner," President Toroama said.
The ABG reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all future redevelopment activities are undertaken in accordance with the law and in a manner that delivers long-term benefits for landowners, communities and the people of Bougainville.
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