Bougainville Copper Ltd is taking an arm of the Bougainville government to court.
This comes after the autonomous government in the Papua New Guinea region announced late last year a moratorium on mining at Panguna, which had been abandoned in 1989 after the Bougainville Civil War started.
Two companies are vying to re-open Panguna but Bougainville President John Momis said to get the nod, the successful company must first win the trust of the people and BCL is yet to do this.
Meanwhile a mining wardens meeting in central Bougainville in December turned down BCL's request for its exploration licence to be extended.
But the company is not giving up and secretary Mark Hitchcock told Don Wiseman they want the licence restored, hence their application for a judicial review.
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Bougainville's Panguna Copper mine Photo: Supplied