EXCLUSIVE: Wanagon lake capable to contain Freeport?s overburden: ITB

A study by an independent team from the prestigious university Institute Technology of Bandung (ITB) concludes that the Wanagon lake in Irian Jaya was capable to contain overburden produced by copper and gold mining company PT Freeport Indonesia at the ore production rate of more than 200,000 tons per day.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro told Petromindo. Com the ITB team made the study on the Wanagon lake at the request of the government after the ministry of energy and mineral resources and the state ministry of environment failed to agree if the lake was capable to contain to Freeport?s overburden.

Since the ministry of energy and mineral resources and the state ministry of environment had different perception (about the capability of the Wanagon lake to contain Freeport?s overburden), we appointed an independent team led by qualified persons (to conduct a study on the matter). The team is from the ITB.

After completing the study, (the team says) the Wanagon lake has no problem in containing overburden from Freeport at the ore production rate of more than 200,000 tons per day, Purnomo said on the return flight from Irian Jaya to Jakarta.

Purnomo was accompanying President Abdurrahman Wahid to visit to Freeport?s operation on Tuesday.

Purnomo said the ministry would only allow Freeport to resume the operation of the Wanagon lake as its overburden dumping site based on the ITB team?s study after completing socializing the study?s results.

Socializing is the local term for disseminating information to public.

Purnomo noted that many parties had questioned the result of the ITB team?s study and said the ministry would hold a meeting with the House of Representatives? Commission VIII for energy and mineral resources, science and technology, and environment on the result of the ITB team?s study.

The operation the Wanagon lake as overburden dumping site by Freeport became a national controversy following a landslide at the lake which led to the death of four workers in May this year.

Environmental activists argued the lake was incapable to contain overburden produced by Freeport at the ore production rate of more than 200,000 tons per day.

They called on the government to order Freeport to cut down its production, close the lake and dump its overburden to other locations.

Freeport produced 230,000 tons of ore when the landslide accident took place.

Freeport has willingly cut down its production to below 200,000 tons per day following the incident and been operating a new dumping site at the nearby area of Cartenz.

Freeport Indonesia is a subsidiary of American mining giant Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold. (godang)