NNT likely to miss 2009 production target

Indonesian copper and gold mining unit of US giant Newmont Mining Corp. may suffer production loss of up to 10 percent this year after partial rock slope failure hit the mine earlier this month, a government official said on Monday.

?Thus far, Newmont Nusa Tenggara (NNT) is still processing ore using existing stockpile,? Witoro Sularno, a senior official at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources told reporters.

He did not say when operations at NNT?s Batu Hijau pit could be resumed.

PTNNT has temporarily suspended operations in the Batu Hijau pit pending a geotechnical review and development of a plan for stabilizing the wall and recommencing mining operations, Newmont said in a statement last week.(kanti)