Newmont denies explosion report

Gold mining firm PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara (NNT) denied earlier reports this week saying that its underwater tailing pipeline had exploded, causing a serious damage to the local environment in Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara.

Company public relations manager Yonaniko S. Grenon said in a press statement Friday that what actually happened was a leakage in one of the joints of its undersea water pipeline due to pressure resulting from ?water hammer.?

She said that the water hammer was nothing significant and commonly happen in large diameter and high capacity pipeline.

Yonaniko said that the water pipeline has not affect on the tailing pipeline.

She added that the problem had been reported to the related authorities.

The independent environmental watchdog Walhi demanded the Sumbawa government to shut down the operation of NNT after its underwater tailing pipeline exploded. Walhi said that NNT had been untruthful because it had claimed that it employed the best mining technology in the gold operation to help protect the environment.

Elsewhere, Yonaniko said that because of its nature, a leakage could always occur in a pipeline.

She added that NNT has always implemented the highest international standard in the construction and operation of its gold mining activity in Sumbawa.(*)