Freeport mine 'poisoning' West Papua's environment
THE giant Freeport mine is polluting West Papua's rivers and estuaries and a world heritage-protected national park, according to the company's own environmental assessments and Indonesian Government standards.
Documents leaked to an environment group show that the world's largest gold and copper mine has dumped a billion tonnes of mine waste, known as tailings, into surrounding rivers, polluting forests and river systems with heavy metals such as copper and arsenic, and endangering species such as the flying fox.
The environmental risk assessments were leaked to Indonesian environment group Wahli. "Freeport has known that their operation is endangering the environment but they don't do anything," Wahli spokesman Torry Kuswardono said.
The environmental assessments show that the company's tailings are polluting the world-heritage Lorentz National Park, which stretches from glacier-capped mountains to a tropical marine environment.
Wahli's Igor O'Neill, who examined the documents, said: "Modelling by an expert employed by Freeport confirmed that the tailings are reaching the coastal part of the national park and testing showed that aquatic animals are contaminated with copper."
Mr O'Neill said that while there was no direct proof that the Freeport mine was the source of high levels of copper, animals tested upstream in the rivers free of mine waste showed normal copper levels.
He said dumping the billion tonnes of tailings in rivers rather than using pipes violated Indonesian law, but the Indonesian Government was reluctant to enforce the law, because "they are scared to challenge Freeport".
Acidic waste produced by the mine was so toxic that it violated even the environmental hazard restrictions for factories.
"The mine is breaching Indonesian industrial standards and breaching water quality laws for lakes, streams and rivers. It is definitely illegal," he said.
Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar dismissed Wahli's claims, saying a team of experts from the ministry had inspected the mine recently.
"I say they are abiding by the law, following all directions," he said. "But we are scrutinising them "
Mr Witoelar said pollution from the mine was minor, adding that the team had found some damage to the rivers and this was being monitored.
Wahli has called on the Government to suspend operations at the mine until the company abides by environmental laws.
A Freeport spokesman declined to comment.
West Papuan groups have launched several protests against the mining giant in the past few months, accusing it of environmental and human rights abuses. Four security force officers and one civilian were killed during a violent anti-Freeport protest in the West Papuan capital of Jayapura recently.