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Bougainville landowners to decide next phase of Kongara exploration, president says
October 27, 2026 _ VILIAME TAWANAKORO _ Bougainville（https://islandsbusiness.com/tag/bougainville/）, Development（https://islandsbusiness.com/tag/development/）, Exploration（https://islandsbusiness.com/tag/exploration/）, Landowners（https://islandsbusiness.com/tag/landowners/）, Mining（https://islandsbusiness.com/tag/mining/） _ News（https://islandsbusiness.com/category/news-break/）,
Bougainville President Toroama visits the drilling site, celebrating local leaders’ approval and emphasising landowners’ role in future resource development. Image: Autonomous Bougainville Government
LANDOWNERS in Central Bougainville will decide whether exploration advances beyond initial drilling at the EL02 site, Autonomous Bougainville Government President Ishmael Toroama said, as Island Passage Exploration Limited and Isina Resource Holdings Limited began drilling after years of waiting for approval.
Toroama visited the site last week to witness the first drilling, described by the government as a milestone in Bougainville’s mineral exploration.
He congratulated Kongara leaders, clan chiefs and residents for approving the work.
“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,” Toroama said.
He said landowners would have the final say on exploration and any subsequent development on their land, under amendments to the 2015 Mining Act intended to place resource owners at the forefront of decision-making.
“I encourage you youths to help Island Passage and Isina Holding to complete the drilling, and when it is done you will give them the permission;