EPA: Chemical overflow at Newmont did not reach public

Accra, Oct. 13, GNA - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Tuesday confirmed that the minor overflow of processing solution that occurred at Newmont's Ahafo Mines was contained within the mines and did not get into waters consumed by the residents of the area.

Mr Isaac Osei, Brong-Ahafo Regional Manager of the EPA, told the Ghana News Agency that the overflow occurred in the "processing event pond", which is within the process plant area of the mines and far away from the environmental control dams (ECD).

He explained that gold ore was leached in the process plant and residual low grade process solution was stored in the process and event pond, which contained sodium cyanide. The residual water is recovered from the tailing storage facility and recycled to the process plant for re-use. Mr Osei said: "There is a computerised level indicator which signals the staff members what the level of the water in the pond has reached at any point in time - it was at this point that the indicator gave them the wrong signal so they did not realise the overflow in time.

"This is where I thought they were negligent because beside the computers they should have had some staff members to monitor the level of the water in the pond to prevent such occurrences."

Mr. Osei said the chemical that spilled off was not raw cyanide but a processing solution which contained cyanide. He also added that the chemical did not reach the ECD and it did not affect residents in the area in anyway.

The ECD is a dam created by Newmont to control the quantity and quality of run-off from the mine site before it enters waters that the residents of the area consume.

"When the water is trapped in the ECD, measures are then taken to remedy the situation," he said.

Mr. Osei said it was on its way to the ECD that the contaminated water entered into a "small tributary" of the Subri River but did not reach the ECD, "much more reaching the Subri River itself."

He assured the public that as far as that spillage was concerned, there was no cause for alarm, but asked Newmont to man their processing pond properly and also to report such spillages to the EPA in good time. Meanwhile, Newmont has since then provided alternative sources of potable water for the people in the area, while further investigations are ongoing to ensure complete public safety.