Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama has called on landowners in Kongara to support mineral exploration following the commencement of the first drilling at the EL02 site in Central Bougainville.
Toroama, who is also the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s minister responsible for mining and petroleum, visited the site last week to witness the initial drilling conducted by Island Passage Exploration Ltd (IPX) in partnership with Isina Resource Holdings Ltd.
The drilling marks a milestone in the region’s mineral exploration activities, about 60 years after the first drilling at Panguna.
Toroama congratulated Kongara’s leaders, clan chiefs and residents for approving the exploration partners’ activities after years of waiting, emphasising that landowners must retain control over decisions concerning their land and resources.
“I want to make a special acknowledgement to all the leaders and clan chiefs; you are the ones who have given the approval for Island Passage and Isina Holdings to carry out the drilling, so I want to congratulate you,” he said.
He said amendments to Bougainville’s Mining Act 2015 were intended to strengthen landowners’ participation in decisions on resource development and ensure that exploration and subsequent activities complied with the law.
Toroama said mineral resources should generate revenue to finance infrastructure and improve living standards, including the construction of hospitals and roads, education and housing.
He urged young people in Kongara to support IPX and Isina Resource Holdings in completing the drilling programme, stressing that landowners would decide whether to approve subsequent stages of development.
“The law is there to protect firstly the land owners, secondly the investors and thirdly the investment that we are bringing in,” he said.
Toroama added that the government had a responsibility under the Mining Act to assist landowners if interference affected their dealings with investors.
He reaffirmed the administration’s support for the exploration partners, saying drilling at sites identified as Kongara 1 and 2 should be completed to provide geological data needed to assess the region’s mineral potential.
The results will help inform decisions on possible future development, although the commencement of drilling does not in itself establish the commercial viability of any mineral deposit.
Toroama also criticised the involvement of young people in activities that damage investments and disrupt development, referring to a recent incident in Panguna.
He cited the redevelopment of Panguna Mine as an example of how mining-related activity could contribute to broader development, including the Arawa Level 7 Hospital and employment opportunities for Bougainvilleans.
The exploration milestone comes as the autonomous region pursues its longer-term political objectives, including a planned declaration of self-government in 2027 and independence in 2030.
The Toroama-Masatt administration has identified the development of internal revenue sources as a priority in preparing Bougainville for greater political and economic independence.
The EL02 drilling programme is expected to provide geological information on mineral deposits in Kongara, potentially informing future decisions on exploration and resource development in the area.
