Bougainville Copper Ltd. said Jan. 30 that it applied for a judicial review of the refusal by the Autonomous Bougainville Government executive council to grant an extension for an exploration license.
Earlier this month, the government imposed an indefinite moratorium on the renewal of the mining license for Bougainville Copper's Panguna copper mine in Papua New Guinea amid fears that it may spark social unrest in the region, The Guardian reported.
In December 2017, RTG Mining Inc. expressed its support for the executive council decision, saying the move prioritizes landowners, a majority of whom opposed Bougainville Copper's development of the project.
