Mining companies threaten protected forests in Indonesia
Published by MAC on 2002-04-04
Mining companies threaten protected forests in Indonesia
One hundred and fifty mining companies are lobbying the Indonesian government to open , 11,441,852 hectares of protected areas for mining. According to Indonesia's Director General of Geology and Mineral Resources, Wimpie S. Tjethpe, quoted in "Koran Tempo" (April 3 2002) 50 companies are conducting operations in protected forest areas.
The Koran article also states there are plans for US$3,2 billion worth of investment in the Nusa Tenggara area by four mining companies but thus far they have been hindered by the Forestry Act. These companies are PT Gag Nikel (BHP Billiton), PT Weda Bay, PT Nusa Halmahera and PT Citra Palu Mineral (Rio Tinto).
The Koran Tempo Article also had a chart of the mining companies associated with protected areas along with their multi-million dollar amounts of investment up to 2001. These companies include Freeport, Meratus Sumber Mas (Placer Dome), CPM (Rio Tinto/Newcrest), Newmont Nusa Tenggara, Galuh Cempaka (BM Diamondcorp), Inco, Barisan Tropical Mining, KEM (Rio Tinto) Meares Soputan Mining, Newmont Minahasa Raya, Nusa Halmahera, Weda Bay, Gag Nikel (BHP-Billiton), Arutmin, among others.