The Panguna copper mine is located on the island of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea. It was one of the largest copper and gold mines in the world, operating from 1972 until its closure in 1989 due to civil unrest. The mine was developed by the Bougainville Copper Limited, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto. The mine's operations significantly impacted the local environment and economy, leading to conflicts between the mining company and the indigenous population. The resulting civil war, known as the Bougainville conflict, lasted nearly a decade and had lasting effects on the region's social and economic landscape.