Sumbawa may turn Newmont's tailing as a source of revenue

Sumbawa regency in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) province may turn the mineral waste of PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara as a source of local revenue in a bid to increase the regency's income, Bali Pos reported on Tuesday.

M. Jabir, the secretary for the budget committee of the Sumbawa legislative council, said on Monday that he would propose the idea in the council's forthcoming meeting. "If the proposal is accepted, the council will then discuss the issue with Newmont," he added.

The mineral waste or more popularly called tailings dumped by copper and gold mine operator in the nearby marine dumping site have been widely protested. Non-governmental organizations and environmental activities fear the tailings would cause problem to the ecosystem and environment in the local sea.

Jabir said that because the sea, where Newmont dumps its mineral waste, is not part of the concession area stipulated in the contract of works awarded to the United States-based mining company, it will be possible for the local administration to issue another ruling such as charging a kind of levy for every tons of mineral waste dumped into the sea.

Jabir estimates that during its operation, Newmont will dump at least 800 million cubic meters of mineral waste into its undersea dumping ground. (*)