Govt asked to review Newmont's dumping site in NTB

The environmental group Walhi has again asked the government to review the submarine waste disposal system used by Newmont Nusa Tenggara (NNT) in dumping its tailing from its Batu Hijau gold and copper mine operation, Lombok Pos reported on Monday.

The head of the organization's mining advocacy, Yulianto SP, said the review on the impact of the waste disposal system was needed to ensure the dumping site would not cause harm to the ecosystem and the lives of the people in the area.

He said that the submarine waste disposal, which would receive a total of 120 tons of tailings per day or about 1.04 billions of tons after 25 years of the company's operations would certainly cause an environmental problem if no proper preparation was made.

Newmont Nusa Tenggara, which started its gold and mine operation in Batu Hijau, West Nusa Tenggara province only two years ago, dumped the tailings from its mining activities into a nearby sea. Its subsidiary in North Sulawesi, Newmont Minahasa Raya also adopted the same submarine system in disposing its mineral waste. The local people charged that the dumping site had caused a major pollution, and demanded the government to close the site to prevent more damages.

Meanwhile a local newspaper reported on Monday that at least 25 people grouped in the FPD non-governmental organization met members of the Legislative Council of the East Lombok regency on Saturday to protest Newmont Nusa Tenggara's waste disposal system.

They demanded the local government to close the dumping site, which they said, has threatened their future. (*)