Freeport asked to conserve damaged forests

Minister of Forestry and Plantations Nur Mahmudi Ismail has asked gold and copper mining company PT Freeport Indonesia to rehabilitate about 133,000 hectares of damaged forests in its concession areas.

"Freeport should be responsible to rehabilitate the damaged forests. They caused the the destruction and they have to restore them," the minister said in his comment to the findings of forest destruction in Freeport mining concession announced by the Environment Impact Management Board (Bapedal) recently.

Nur Mahmudi said that Freeport should also paid a compensation to the local residents on the loss of working opportunities resulted from the damaged forests.

Bapedal said at least 133,000 hectares of forests in the gold and copper mining companies had been severely damaged due to massive mining exploration and production activities carried out by the company since early 1970s.

Meanwhile, Kompas quoted Minster of Environment as threatening to close the operation of Freeport if the company continued neglecting environmental protection.

Freeport's spokesperson Yuli Ismartono denied the allegation that the company had damaged 133,000 hectares of forest around its copper and gold mine.

She said based on the environmental impact analysis the forest area affected by the company's tailing disposal was only 13,300 hectares at maximum.

"Thus the affected area is not 133,000 since the company's concession covers only 23,000 hectares," she quoted by Kompas as saying on Friday. (*)