Newmont will reduce mining operations in Bolmong, Sulawesi

PT Newmont Mongondow Mining, one of the United States-based Newmont's three mining subsidiaries in Indonesia, plans to reduce its gold mining activities in Bolaang, Mongondow, North Sulawesi.

Manado Pos reported on Tuesday that the company's plan to cut its gold mining activities in the regency was unveiled by the company's senior representative Peter in a meeting with the regency's regent and other senior official.

The spokesman for the office of the local administration, Datun Sulong, said that Newmont's executive told the regent during the meeting that the company's plan to reduce its activities was part of the mining giant's program to consolidate its mining operation in Indonesia.

"The company will stop but also reduce the activities," he said, adding that the company's decision was not resulted from the increase in protests against the mining company in the regency.

The company initially planned to expand its gold exploration in another 100-hectare area in the regency but the activities have been widely protested by the local residents, who feared that the plan would affect their farming areas.

According to Datun, the protests were mainly caused due to misunderstanding. The local residents thought that the company would take over their farming areas, while in the reality, the company would only take a sample if the villagers' farm areas contained gold deposits.

In addition, to the Bolaang mining area, Newmont also operates another gold mines in Minahasa , also in North Sulawesi and in Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara. (*)