Papua New Guinea's Kokoda Track Authority says most local landowners are keen for trekking activities on the historic trail to co-exist with mining.
Landowners have blocked part of the Track, protesting at the delay in renewal of the exploration license for Australian mining company Frontier Resources.
The PNG government has been under pressure from Australia's government not to facilitate continued exploration near the Track by Frontier.
Canberra opposes any development which might impact on the Track where Australian troops fought Japanese in World War II.
However the executive officer of the Authority, Warren Bartlett, says landowners have resolved to push for mining.
"Mining and trekking can co-exist but mining would be on a small-scale basis. But I think the big problem at the moment is to keep shareholders happy. Frontier's been pushing a vast resource there - 8 billion kina in gold and copper - and the shareholders want to know what the hell's going on."
Warren Bartlett says the Authority advocates moving the track slightly to the West, where war-time maps indicate the actual route used by the soldiers often veered.
