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Oceania

Papua New Guinea

Open in the explorerOrganisations (9)Events

Production, refining and reserves

CommodityMetricValueWorld rank · shareSource
CobaltMine production 20252,800 t Co content#8 · 0.9%USGS MCS 2026
CobaltReserves 202584,000 t Co content#11 · 0.7%USGS MCS 2026
CopperMine production 202275,800 t Cu content#26 · 0.3%USGS Minerals Yearbook 2022 (copper), table 20
NickelMine production 202333,604 t Ni content#13 · 0.9%USGS Minerals Yearbook 2023 (nickel, tables-only release), table 10
GoldMine production 202250 t Au content—USGS MCS 2023
GoldReserves 20221,100 t Au content#12 · 2%USGS MCS 2023

Policies and export measures

Policy tracker →

  • Date n/a · trade measure

    Mining Act 1992 amendment adding Section 5A (live production-data access for the State)

    Parliament added Section 5A to the Mining Act 1992 in June 2020, on a bill introduced by the Mining Minister. It lets the State, through the Mineral Resources Authority and other agencies, obtain live processing and production data (throughput, recovery, tailings) from mines so that declared metal output and tax can be checked independently. The MRA cited OECD findings that PNG collects about 20% less mining tax than the OECD average. A draft Mining Bill to replace the 1992 Act was released for comment in February 2025; no enacted text was found.

    Source: Mineral Resources Authority (MRA), Papua New Guinea

Trade in critical minerals

Exports 2024$1.8 bn

  1. Copper$1.3 bnto Japan 45%, Philippines 14%, South Korea 11% · 9 more
  2. Nickel$422 mto China 100%
  3. Chromium$55 mto China 100%, Singapore 0%
  4. Aluminium$11 mto Thailand 34%, South Korea 32%, Malaysia 25% · 4 more
  5. Tin$303 kto Thailand 100%
  6. Lithium*$44 kto Australia 92%, China 7%, Sweden 1% · 2 more
  7. Zinc$13 kto Malaysia 100%
  8. Lead$1 kto Australia 100%

and 2 more commodities

Imports 2024$11 m

  1. Potash$10 mfrom Malaysia 100%, Australia 0%, India 0%
  2. Boron$662 kfrom Malaysia 100%
  3. Alumina$134 kfrom Australia 98%, Türkiye 2%, Malaysia 0%
  4. Cobalt*$75 kfrom Singapore 98%, Australia 2%
  5. Rare earths$72 kfrom Australia 75%, China 12%, Italy 9% · 3 more
  6. Lithium*$67 kfrom Australia 71%, China 29%
  7. Silicon$36 kfrom Australia 100%
  8. Barite$17 kfrom Thailand 51%, New Zealand 49%

and 11 more commodities

Trade values in current US dollars (ores, concentrates, intermediates, chemicals and refined metal), not prices. * Includes HS codes that also cover other products. Source: CEPII BACI (HS22), Etalab Open Licence 2.0 — details.

Fiscal regime for mining

InstrumentApplies toRateLegal basis
RoyaltyAll mineralsRoyalty of 2% paid by holders of mining leases and special mining leases; apportioned by the State to landowners, provincial and local-level governments. Deductible for income tax2%FOB value / gross revenue from sales of mine products (net smelter return for concentrates)Mining Act 1992 (No. 20 of 1992), s. 148 (royalties payable in accordance with the Act) · s. 148
State paid participationAll mineralsState option to acquire up to 30% of a mining project at par value or sunk cost (historic cost including exploration); in practice the State grants up to 5% free equity to landowners and the provincial government (2.5% each), held by a State nominee (MRDC)30%participating interest in the mining projectMining Act 1992 (No. 20 of 1992) · s. 16A
Corporate income tax (mining)All mineralsCorporate income tax 30% for all resource and non-resource companies (Income Tax Act 1959 Division 10: mining, petroleum and designated gas projects). Optional fiscal stability: +2% premium on the income tax rate in exchange for stability for the financing period or 20 years (Resource Contracts Fiscal Stabilisation Act 2000). Additional profits tax (Subdivision E) applies subject to stability agreements. Dividend withholding tax 15% from 201730%taxable income of each project (ring-fenced on a project basis)Income Tax Act 1959, Division 10 · Division 10
OtherAll mineralsProduction levy paid to the Mineral Resources Authority to fund its activities; 0.25% (up to 0.5% at the Minister's discretion) under the former MRA Act, raised to 0.5% by the Mineral Resources Authority Act 20180.5%assessable income of the mining project (primarily FOB production sales)Mineral Resources Authority Act 2018 · s. 28

Rates and terms as set in the cited law or regulation; agreements with individual projects can differ. Not legal or tax advice.

Mines and facilities (8)

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