Michael Boateng
22 October 2009
Kenyasi — Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) says it deeply regrets the unplanned release of processed water containing dilute cyanide concentrations from the plant site on Thursday, October 8, 2009, and promised to learn from it by reviwing operating procedures to prevent a recurrence.
The NGGL admitted that the spill killed some fish in areas to which it drained into, but fortunately, no one from the communities or employees was placed at risk from the overflow of the processed water, because the amount of cyanide was extremely low.
Mr. Dan V. Michaelsen, General Manager Environment and Social Responsibility, briefing the press at the plant site at Kenyasi before a site tour, disclosed that the overflow came about due to failure in the computerised level indicator in the processed water pond, which signals the staff members of the water level in the pond.
According to him, the indicator gave the staff a wrong signal, so they did not realise the overflow in time, but as soon as the spill was detected, the personnel stopped it from the source, and blocked its escape from the plant site.
He continued that the personnel then treated the diluted cyanide solution with sodium hypochlorite (bleach) to neutralise water on the ground, and traced the path where the flow had taken.
Mr. Dan Michaelsen said the laboratory analysis on Monday, October 12, this year, showed that cyanide concentrations in the waterway, where the process spill flowed, were too low.
He narrated that on Friday, October 9, this year, people from the neighboring communities told Newmont's community liaison officers that there were six dead fish floating in a pond near the Ntotroso-Kenyasi Road. Newmont environmental personnel immediately collected water and fish samples for analysis at a commercial laboratory in Tema, which showed that cyanide killed the fish.
More villages reported more dead fish a short distance downstream from where dead fish were found originally.
Newmont's community liaison officers met inhabitants of the nearby villages to discuss the issue with them.
They were also provided with temporary water supply as a precautionary measure.
The General Manager of Newmont's Environment and Social Responsibility gave the assurance that it would review its operation processes to prevent future occurrences of such an incident, reiterating that the processed solution released, at no time posed a threat to humans.
He explained that on the perimeter of Newmont's mining area, four large earth dams had been constructed to allow suspended sediments to settle.
Mr. Michaelsen further gave the assurance that Newmont would continue to cooperate with the regulatory authorities, and inform communities on its doorsteps of their findings.
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we didnt, it wasn't, we never,,,,oh we are sorry!!! its great the promises are being made but one wonders how seriously Newmont would have taken this issue if the media and community had not pursued the story!! In the spirit of transparency Newmont should train local residents to do the required local environmental monitoring to ensure no over enthusiastic loyal staff accidentally overlook any new warning signs in the future God bless the people of Ghana