Newmont operates tailing disposal system without license
Tuesday, March 28 2000 - 04:00 AM WIB
An official of the Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedal) said gold mining company PT Newmont Minahasa Raya in North Sulawesi had been disposing of its tailing into the Buyat waters without any license from the agency, Manado Post reported.
Head of Bapedal's working team Masnelly Harti made the statement last Thursday during a meeting with several executives of the Indonesian Forum for Environment's (Walhi), the Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and the Conscience Foundation of Tomohon.
Masnelly said the company just started processing the license after several times being reprimanded by the agency, adding that the company planned to make a representation on its tailing disposal system on March 29 and 30 as part of its efforts to get the license.
Walhi's provincial executive of North Sulawesi Moudy Gerungan said in a statement on Monday that the information indicated that Newmont had violated the existing regulation.
He thus called on the government to temporarily close the company's operation. (*)