Most Amungme live in Mimika and Puncak, in valleys like Noema, Tsinga, Hoeya, Bella, Alama, Aroanop, and Wa.

A related group lives in Beoga Valley, Puncak and they are called Damal people.

This has led to friction with the Indonesian government and Freeport-McMoRan, which is eager to exploit the vast mineral deposits contained there.

Extensive gold and copper mining have altered the landscape, and the presence of the mine and its infrastructure has attracted numerous other economic migrants from regions in Indonesia including other Papuans, some of whom have tried to settle on traditional Amungme lands.

[4] In the last 35 years, the Amungme have seen their sacred mountain destroyed by the Freeport mine and watched as their relatives are killed and caught in the conflict between Indonesian soldiers and Free Papua Movement rebels, while the Kamoro have more than 200,000 tons of mining waste pumped into their rivers each day.