NGO reports about Freeport tailing all scientific: Sonny Keraf

Reports prepared by a number of non-governmental organizations (NGO) on the negative impacts of tailing disposal by gold and copper giant PT Freeport Indonesia in Irian Jaya have all scientific grounds, according to State Minister of Environment Sonny Keraf, Kompas reported on Wednesday (May 9).

Speaking at a workshop on ecoregion and landscape planning in Jayapura on Monday evening, Keraf said all reports that had been published by NGOs on Freeport tailing were based on scientific studies in the field.

"Those NGOs have conducted direct research in the field. It's true that Freeport Indonesia has taken measures against tailing, but what has been done by Freeport has not yet been maximal. The evidence is that seepage of the tailing has been found in a number of places, trees in areas where tailing is passing by become pale and die, mollusks that absorb tailing also die," Keraf said.

When asked if Freeport's mining activities on the height of 4,300 meters above the sea level and only 6 kilometers away from the snowed top of the Jayawijaya mountain would affect the snowed mountain top, Keraf said there was no specific research about that.

But he noted that large mining activities such as those pursued by Freeport would surely have massive impacts on lives, geology and geography situation of the surrounding environment.

Meanwhile, Freeport corporate communications manager Mindo Pangaribuan said the company had conducted researches on the impacts of the tailing on the environment through its laboratory in Timika, Irian Jaya.

"Tailing is not toxic material," he said. (*)