Satellite imaging of environmental damage near Freeport mine in West Papua and in Timor-Leste

GeoEye: High-Resolution Satellite Observation of Remote Mining Areas Addresses Human Rights and Environmental Protection Issues

Dr. Chris Lavers writes

There is considerable international concern at the rapid growth of the Freeport mine at Grasberg, operated by Rio Tinto Zinc (RTZ) in West Papua (Irian Jaya) over failures to address human rights and environmental protection issues. For the Amungme tribe, reduction of the beautiful Mount Grasberg, one of the largest Sudirman range peaks, to a vast hole in the ground, has been devastating.

Read the rest here

 

Figure 4 Central view of the mine (Tambang Terbuka).

see also the ETAN/WPAT: Statement on the operations of the Freeport McMoran Mine in West Papua, Indonesia

The blog Return to Rai Ketak posted several NASA satellite images showing fires throughout Timor-Leste during the height of the dry season.