Newmont waste treatment remains unsafe

The industrial waste treatment operated by PT Newmont Minahasa remains unsafe despite the fact that the mercury and arsenic contents of the mining company's tailings are still below the maximum level.

Rizald M. Rompas, an expert staff of the state minister for sea exploration and fishery, said Tuesday that the company's submarine tailing placement (STP) system still lacked safety especially after a long period of time.

Although the mercury and arsenic content at the seawater at the Teluk Buyat remained safe, the content of the hazardous substance in the tailings accumulated under the seawater had already exceeded the maximum level.

He feared that after a long period of time, the poisonous substance would emerge affecting not only the human being but also fishery resources in the province. "If the tailings exploded some day after Newmont left the province, who will be held responsible," he said.

Rizald said that the government and Newmont should sign an international agreement to ensure that the mining company would be still responsible on the impact of its industrial waste even after it no longer operated the mining site.

He said his office would study the waste treatment system adopted by Newmont Minahasa and its affiliated Newmont Nusatenggara to ensure long lasting protection to the local community and environment.

Both mining operators dumped their mining waste to nearby sea under the so called submarine tailings placement (STP) systems.

Rizald said that the system was still relatively new and its usage had not been covered by the government's regulations. (*)