Panguna Airstrip

The airstrip was closed concurrently with the Panguna Mine, which ceased operations due to the outbreak of the Bougainville Crisis. The conflict, which escalated into a civil war, was fueled by local grievances over the mine's environmental impact, the distribution of its profits, and land ownership disputes. The Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) began sabotaging mine infrastructure, making it impossible for the operator, Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL), to continue work safely. The closure was a direct result of the escalating violence and the subsequent force majeure declaration by BCL.

The airstrip is abandoned and derelict. Satellite imagery shows the runway is still clearly visible but is heavily overgrown with grass and vegetation. It is unmaintained and completely unusable for any aviation purposes. There is no remaining airport infrastructure such as terminals or hangars. The site, like the massive adjacent mine pit and processing facilities, is slowly being reclaimed by nature after more than three decades of neglect.

Panguna Airstrip was a private aerodrome built, owned, and operated by Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) to support the operations of the Panguna Mine, which was one of the largest open-pit copper and gold mines in the world. The airstrip was a critical piece of logistical infrastructure, serving several key functions:
- **Personnel Transport:** It was used to fly in and out key personnel, including executives, engineers, specialized contractors, and other staff.
- **Urgent Freight:** It handled the transport of urgent, high-value, or time-sensitive cargo, such as critical spare parts for mining equipment that could not wait for sea freight.
- **Medical Evacuations (Medevac):** The airstrip was vital for emergency medical flights, transporting seriously ill or injured mine workers and residents of the Panguna town to hospitals elsewhere in Papua New Guinea or Australia.
- **Connectivity:** It provided a direct air link to the remote, mountainous mine site, supplementing the larger coastal airport at Aropa (which was also forced to close during the conflict) and the port of Loloho. The airstrip primarily handled smaller, Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) aircraft capable of operating from its relatively short, unpaved runway.

There are no direct or official plans to reopen the Panguna Airstrip itself. Its future is entirely contingent on the potential reopening of the Panguna Mine. The reopening of the mine is a highly complex and politically sensitive issue, involving negotiations between the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG), the national government of Papua New Guinea, local landowner groups, and potential investors. If the mine were to be re-established, the rehabilitation of logistical infrastructure would be a priority. This would likely include restoring the airstrip for operational support. However, until a firm decision is made to restart mining operations, which faces significant political and financial hurdles, the Panguna Airstrip will remain abandoned. The primary focus for public air travel in the region is on the existing Buka Airport and the rehabilitated Aropa Airport, which is much closer to the Panguna area.