Gosowong operates normally

Gosowong operates normally

MELBOURNE (Dow Jones): Newcrest Mining Ltd. (A.NEW), an
Australian gold miner, said Wednesday that its Gosowong gold mine
on Indonesia's Halmahera Island is operating normally despite
renewed sectarian violence on the island.

The violence "hasn't had any impact on us at all," Newcrest
executive general manager for eastern operations, Bruce Price,
told Dow Jones Newswires, noting that the mine is some 40
kilometers away from where the violence occurred.

On Monday, clashes on the island between Christians and
Muslims armed with homemade weapons left up to 135 people dead.

The violence is the latest outbreak of an 18-month conflict
between Muslims and Christians in the Maluku Islands, that
include Halmahera, that has so far cost 2,500 lives.

Gosowong is currently producing at a rate of 20,000 troy
ounces of gold a month, but long-term production is forecast at
154,000 ounces a year.

Newcrest has an 82.5 percent stake in Gosowong and is
partnered by PT Aneka Tambang (P.ATB), a gold and nickel producer
controlled by the Indonesian government, with 17.5 percent.