Freeport has a permit to dump tailings: Ministry
Wednesday, May 10 2006 - 02:48 AM WIB
Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said gold and copper mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia had a permit to dump its tailings into Wanagon Lake in Papua. The permit was issued by the Papua governor.
Director of mineral company supervision Mangantar S. Marpaung said on Tuesday river management fell under the supervision of the Public Works Ministry, which allows governors as representatives of local governments to issue permits regarding the use of the rivers.
?There is a permit from the provincial government as an implementation of the regulation. As far as I know the governor issues the permit,?
Marpaung said Freeport was allowed to produce 300,000 tons of ore per day, between 10 and 15 percent of them were distillated substances and the rest were tailings. ?Now the company produces only 230,000 tons of ore per day,? he added. (*)