[Published on Thursday, March 5, 2026]
BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
COMMUNITY leaders and anti-mining activists in Isabel Province are alleged to have identified the company that will be carrying prospecting at Poku.
According to reports, WIN-Win Mining is the company but the operation will be contracted to another company.
A report alleged that Win-Win has subcontracted the operation to China Railway Company Limited.
A community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that China Railway Company Limited will carry out the prospecting instead of Win-Win.
“From what we gathered, both tenements — Jaho and Poku — are under Win-Win prospecting licenses.
“We know that Solomon Islands Resource Company Limited is a shadow company of Win-Win,” the source claimed.
The source said community leaders expressed concern about the potential social and environmental impact of the operations.
“We are lost for words to describe how these operations will impact our social setting, especially the environment which has fed us for hundreds of years,” the source said.
The latest development at Poku brings the total number of mining operations in Isabel to four, following the recent closure of the Suma mining operation.
Reports reaching Island Sun confirm that a ship loaded with heavy equipment was sighted sailing past Lelegia Village en route to Poku, where the new operation is expected to begin.
Multiple sources from nearby communities also confirmed that mining equipment has already landed at Poku, near Koisisi and Fanavi villages.
“There are 10 dump trucks, two Hilux vehicles and 20,000 litres of fuel onboard the ship,” one source told Island Sun earlier this week.
Authorities have yet to publicly comment on the new prospecting activities.
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