Misima Minerals Limited (MML) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Milne Bay Provincial Government, paving the way for the company to operate the Misima Aerodrome as part of broader efforts to improve connectivity and support the redevelopment of the Misima Gold Project. The agreement was signed in Alotau on June 19, 2026.
Under the MoA, MML will lease and operate the aerodrome through the Milne Bay Provincial Transport Authority while undertaking upgrades required to restore commercial aviation services.
The aerodrome has been restricted to small charter aircraft since 2020 after operations for third-level airlines, including PNG Air, were suspended.
Restoring the aerodrome to full operational status is expected to enable the return of scheduled commercial flights to Misima, improving access to the island and supporting economic activity, healthcare delivery, government services and community mobility across the Samarai-Murua District.
To meet Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Papua New Guinea (CASAPNG) requirements, the runway and other aviation safety infrastructure will be upgraded. The works will be coordinated by MML, the Provincial Transport Authority, the National Works Department and local contractors, with completion targeted before the end of 2026.
The aerodrome project forms part of MML's broader infrastructure program supporting the redevelopment of the Misima Gold Project.
A wholly owned subsidiary of Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML), MML has begun early infrastructure works to support exploration, feasibility studies and future mine development.
Following OTML's acquisition of the Misima Gold Project from Kingston Resources in May 2025, the company developed a five-year restart strategy comprising three phases: feasibility and permitting, construction, and production.
Since February 2026, MML has undertaken enabling works under the first phase, including environmental and social impact assessments, mine development planning, and preparations for environmental permitting and mining licence approvals.
Infrastructure projects underway or under assessment include the construction of accommodation facilities with a health clinic and support services, rehabilitation of access roads to the mine site, and the planned upgrade of Misima District Hospital.
The hospital improvements are intended to benefit local communities while supporting medical requirements for OTML and MML employees, including pre-employment medical examinations aimed at increasing local workforce participation.
Misima Minerals Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ok Tedi Mining Limited responsible for redeveloping the historic Misima Gold-Silver Mine in Milne Bay Province.
The project supports OTML's Growth 2050 strategy to diversify beyond its Star Mountains operations and return one of Papua New Guinea's largest historic gold mines to production under Papua New Guinean ownership.
MML currently holds Exploration Licence 1747 through a two-year extension granted to Ok Tedi, allowing continued exploration, technical studies and resource evaluation ahead of the project's redevelopment.
The company says it is committed to responsible resource development, environmental stewardship, transparent stakeholder engagement and delivering long-term economic and social benefits to landowners, local communities, Milne Bay Province and Papua New Guinea.
