Walhi demands Newmont to close operation

The independent environmental watchdog Walhi demanded copper and gold mining company PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara (NNT) to close down in operation in Sumbawa regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), following an explosion of its tailing pipe last month.

Walhi director Yani Sagaroa was quoted by the Bisnis Indonesia daily as saying that NNT had been untruth, telling the government it employed the best technology to protect the local environment.

She pointed out that after previously promising that there would be no more leakage in tailing pipeline, it turned that there was an explosion.

Walhi also urged the NTB and Sumbawa administrations to give sanction to NNT.(*)