PT IMK uses carbon, zinc to process gold

The waste disposed by gold mining firm PT Indo Muro Kencana (IMK) in North Barito regency is considered not dangerous for the people's health because the company uses only carbon (C) and zinc (Zn) in their mining activities.

PT IMK government relations manager J Bambang M denied allegation that PT IMK had polluted the area as the company did not use dangerous chemical substance like mercury (Hg).

He said the company used only carbon and zinc in processing its waste, that later be separated in the form of tailing and water, and this water was then processed further so that it would be save for the environment.

"Even the water from this process could be used for daily needs by the company and even by people in this area," Bambang said on the sidelines of a visit by Australian ambassador for Indonesia Richard C. Smith at the company's camp in Tanah Siang district, North Barito regency.

Bambang said the pollution in the area was resulted form traditional mining activities by local people in Mangkahui area in Murung district, where the miners use mercury to separate gold from other substances.

There are hundreds of families conducting gold mining activities in Mangkahui, with each family using six to 12 gold processing units, each unit consuming about one kilogram of mercury substance per day.

These mining families did not realize the danger of the mercury and dispose almost all or 95 percent of the mercury waste to the surrounding area, and this pollutes the land and water in the area, and this endangers the future lives of people there.

IMK is a subsidiary of Australian mining firm Aurora Gold. (*)