Morumbi Resources, which was recently known as Morumbi Oil & Gas, appointed a new exploration and logistics team for its mineral exploration plans in the Popondetta property in Oro province and for the ARB.

The Bougainville team will be headed by Eddie Mucha, who speaks Tok Pisin and has previously worked with Bougainville Copper, Rio Tinto and as logistics coordinator for the 17,000-employee Grasberg mine in Indonesia's Papua province.

Mucha also participated in the construction of the Kutubu oil project in the Southern Highlands and the nearby Porgera mine.

Morumbi named Andrias Kristianto as top geologist for mineral exploration on its Popondetta project in the copper-gold prospective Owen Stanley Range.

The team is expected to start exploration on April 15.

Kristianto was principal geologist at the Tujuh Bukit copper-gold project in Indonesia and was credited as instrumental in discovering the site's giant porphyry deposits.

Morumbi is a Canada-based oil producer with operations in northwest Alberta and it has acquired early-stage mineral exploration licences in PNG.

The Popondetta project is surrounded by Goldminex exploration licences, which Brazilian mining giant Vale is earning into.

Morumbi has also begun work towards establishing relationships and joint venture partnerships with Bougainville landowner groups and expects to update the progress of its projects in the region shortly.