Newmont keeping eye on Batu Hijau mine after attacks
Tuesday, October 2 2001 - 11:25 PM WIB
US based miner Newmont Mining Corp has developed contingency plans to protect its Batu Hijau copper and gold mine in Sumbawa Island, West Nusa Tenggara in case anti-U.S. violence erupts in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, Chief Executive Officer Wayne Murdy was quoted by Reuters as saying Tuesday.
Asked at the Denver Gold Group's Mining Investment Forum if Newmont, one of the biggest gold producers in the world, was concerned about its Indonesia operations, Murdy said ``You bet. We're very concerned.''
.Immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks and the suspected links to Osama bin Laden, Newmont's general manager for Indonesia Tom Enos met with community and religious leaders near the Batu Hijau mine, Murdy said.
``We are concerned about our relationship with the local population,'' Murdy said, adding ``Newmont has made a concerted effort to improve the living conditions of the mine workers and upgrade the standard of living.'' (*)