Lihir: an island at the heart of gold

Explore Newmont’s account of its Lihir operation on Aniolam Island, one of PNG’s major gold-producing sites.

Gold and copper are central to PNG’s resource economy. Mining combines geological resources with large investments in extraction, processing, transport and infrastructure. Its commercial influence extends to contractors, engineering, maintenance, logistics and professional services.

A producing mine is a connected industrial system: exploration and studies precede financing and construction, then extraction, treatment and sale. The economics depend on ore quality, recovery, operating costs and commodity markets. Mineral resources, reserves and annual production are different measures and cannot be used interchangeably.

This feature introduces the original reporting and places it in its industry context. Explore the original publisher’s account for its full reporting, interviews and detail.

Read our full industry overview

PNG Direct editorial summary · researched 24 October 2026. Original reporting remains with the credited publisher.