A stroll through the Panguna Mine site in Bougainville

When Western mining operations seek resources in foreign lands they are signing up to face unthinkable cultural obstacles. With the connection of the mining company and the resource rich nation’s government having a strong business bond, the locals on the mining sight may get left out of some detailed operations and plans. Whatever goes wrong with mining operations, whether it is landowner payment disputes, government corruption, racial discrimination between foreign and local workers, mining chemicals causing problems with soil fertility and ocean marine life, the problems will most likely effect the people that live on the land the most. Exploring the crisis affected lands of the Panguna mine sight I often felt like an intruder in some strange neglected neighborhood. Almost all the Mine site buildings have been burnt and gutted out and the ones with solid foundations are now serving as food shops and homes to some of the original natives. There are at least 10 people who live on the site now that also worked there during the mines operation. A 58 year old local, who wished to remain anonymous, worked on the mine site in the laboratory building and now lives in one of the old hardware warehouses with his family expressed his views. “The mine should benefit people for longer, for generations to generation.” “The money just goes back to the [mining company’s] country. After they open supermarkets [at the mine sites], it left little money for the landowners.” “We stopped the mine, now it’s really quiet.”

Young children walking past the old married quarters.

A lone copper dump truck that was completely burned out during the crisis.

Twenty-seven large copper dump tucks that were burned to the ground. Nature is slowly growing around the rusted bodies.

One of the largest open-cut copper mines in the world.

Clothes lines and gardens. The village life has reclaimed the land that the modern mine was operating in.

The old recreation pool for the mine workers

Broken down toilets in the Panguna pool bathrooms

Clothes hanging outside the old fuel station. According to a local, there are at least ten people living in the mine structures that also worked for the mine.

Philomina, Natalie, Alison (2 year old in lap), Katherine and their dog peter. Passing time on the front porch of what used to be the fuel station. There are ten people that live in this building.