Newmont denies leakage in Santong reservoir

PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara (NNT) denied a leakage in the Santong dam, which collects the mineral waste from the company's gold exploration activities in Batu Hijau, West Nusatenggara province, BRD correspondent reported on Tuesday.

The company's manager for environmental affairs, Todd White, said on Monday that there was no leakage in the dam, which according to local non-governmental organization, had caused a flood of mud to the nearby Tonggo Sejorong river.

"There was no leakage in the dam. The truth was that the mining company reduced the level of the water in the dam to allow the construction of new pipes," he said, adding that the level of the mud in the water pumped from the dam into the river was still within the standards.

More over the volume of the water pumped out of the dam was far still below the level resulted from heavy rains during the rainy season, he said. "The works to release the water from the dam into the river had been well prepared," he added.

Local NGO, Olah Hidup Sumbawa, charged earlier that the flood, which occurred on the river on Thursday was caused by the leakage of the gold mine operator's muddy reservoir. The organization warned the people not to use the water from the river, which had been heavily polluted by the mud from the dam. (*)