KEM to end gold operation in Kutai in four years
British Ambassador asks future of employees
Wednesday, February 23 2000 - 04:12 AM WIB
Gold mining firm PT Kelian Equatorial Mining (KEM) will end its mining operation in the Long Iram subdistrict in Kutai regency, East Kalimantan province, in 2004 as the gold reserves is exhausted.
But KEM president John Vale said that the company would stay there until 2007 to rehabilitate its mining site.
"We'll end this mining operation in a responsible way," he told visiting British Ambassador for Indonesia Robin Christopher.
Former minister of environment Emil Salim also attended the occasion.
KEM started commercial production in 1992 with annual production of 14 tons. Its total employees now is 1,040.
Vale said that the company was providing various form of training for its employees to allow them to shift jobs when the mining operation come to an end. Vale was responding to question from Ambassador Christopher about the fate of the employees.
Asked by Emil on the land use of its mining site, Vale said that there would be several alternatives including to transform it to a tourist object, training center or fish ponds.(*)