Newmont endangers people, ecosystem

Newmont endangers people, ecosystem

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A study released by the Indonesian Forum for the Environment
(Walhi) on Wednesday contends that tailings from gold mining firm
Newmont Minahasa Raya (NMR) contain four times the government-
allowed level of cyanide, endangering the health of residents and
endangering the environment.

The study alleged that traces of cyanide could be found in
marine animals living in Buyat Bay, Buyat River and Ratatotok Bay
in Minahasa regency, North Sulawesi, where the NMR tailings were
disposed.

"The research shows that NMR tailings have disturbed the
marine ecosystem in both Buyat and Ratatotok bay. The disposal of
the NMR tailings has been uncontrolled and widespread," said
Walhi campaigner Raja Siregar, who conducted the study with Joko
Purwanto, a senior lecturer at the Bogor Institute of
Agriculture.

The field study took place in June 2001 and January 2002, and
Joko analyzed the findings of the study up to early this year.

Raja said high levels of cyanide and other chemicals like
mercury, cadmium and arsenic in Buyat Bay had reduced the catch
of local fishermen.

"The locals have to sail a kilometer out from the coast ... to
catch fish," he said.

Locals also have begun to suffer health problems, mostly brain
damage and tremors, he alleged.

Raja said the study proved that NMR had violated its
environmental impact assessment, which stipulated that cyanide
should not be found in the bodies of marine animals in the area.

The study also claims NMR's tailings pipeline is prone to
leakage, stating that four leaks occurred in the last seven
years.

Raja accused NMR of being irresponsible and endangering both
local residents and the environment.

"NMR must pay compensation for the health, social and
environmental damage it has caused to locals. But so far, the
locals have not seen it (compensation)," he said.

NMR external relations manager David Sompie denied the
findings of the Walhi study.

He said the company carried out a detoxification process on
its tailings to eliminate the cyanide used in the gold mining
process.

He said previous studies by the Indonesian Institute of
Sciences, the Agency for the Study and Application of Technology
and the Environmental Impact Control Agency found no excess
cyanide in NMR's tailings.

He said there was no reason to trust the findings of the Walhi
study.

"We have more faith in the previous studies. We have been
doing very good so far, otherwise our license would have already
been revoked by the government," Sompie said.

The company began its mining operation in Ratatotok village,
Belang district, Minahasa regency, North Sulawesi, in 1996, with
a concession of 527,448 hectares.

The company will close its operation later this year, but it
is required to monitor the site for the next three years.

As of 2002, NMR has released over four million tons of
tailings into Buyat Bay and the surrounding coast.

Ironically, NMR's sister company, Newmont Nusa Tenggara, has
been given a license by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral
Resources to carry out mining activities in a protected forest in
Lombok island, West Nusa Tenggara province.

The deputy assistant for mining, energy, oil and gas at the
Office of the State Minister for the Environment, Yanuardi
Rasudin, said he would contact NMR to clarify Walhi's claims.

"We will also ask NMR to explain its plans for closing the
mine," he said.

If there are any violations of its contract, the Ministry of
Energy and Mineral Resources can take action against the company.