PT KEM reports progress on Kelian gold mine sterilization program
Thursday, August 3 2006 - 03:53 AM WIB
KEM site administration and external relations manager Yudhi Nurcahyana said in Balikpapan that the sterilization works, which was started early this year, have been 20 percent completed resulting in about 20 kg of gold in concentrate.
According to Yudhi, the gold ores produced from the sterilization program were processed through a mini processing plant. The gold concentrates were then shipped to a gold smelting in Jakarta.
Yudhi said the sterilization program was expected to be completed in mid 2007.
He said after the sterilization process, the area would be turned into a polishing pond to treat waste water from the ex mining pit and KEM?s tailing areas in Nakan Atas.
"After the process through polishing pond and reduced material content, the water will be flowed to Kelian River,? Yudhi said.
KEM has been operating in Kelian, Kutai Barat regency since 1992. Mining activities in its open pit were stopped in May 2003 after gold ore deposit in the location had been exhausted.
KEM?s mine site rehabilitation work is part of its mine closure programs, which refers to sustainable environmental management. The forest, which used to be a mine site, will be handed over to the government in 2013.
Sustainable monitoring starting 2013 onwards will be carried out by PT Hutan Lindung Kelian Lestari, a non-profit company employing local people. (denny)