Intrepid evacuates workers as illegal miners set fire on camp

Australian metal exploration firm Intrepid Mines Limited reported Wednesday that a group of illegal miners has damaged a small fly camp and drill rig being used by the Company to test an epithermal gold target on Gunung Manis near the eastern border of the Tujuh Bukit Copper and Gold Project in East Java.

The area had been evacuated shortly before the camp and equipment were set on fire on the morning of 28th June and no injuries were reported, the company said.

Groups of illegal miners - many of whom have come from outside the local area - have been extracting small amounts of gold from Gunung Manis over a period of several years. Gunung Manis is one of several mineralised targets identified thus far on the approximately 11,000 hectare Tujuh Bukit project's lease.

?Intrepid and its Indonesian partner, PT IMN, have been working extensively with local authorities looking for a peaceful and equitable resolution to the issue. The Company had only begun drilling on Gunung Manis earlier this month after an agreement had been reached with the illegal miners as to how the drilling would be conducted. An investigation into this latest incident has been initiated,? it said.

"As unfortunate and unexpected as this incident was, it will have no impact on our main operations at Tujuh Bukit," said Brad Gordon, Intrepid's CEO. "It is also worth noting that none of our other resource areas or targets are subject to this illegal activity, which is some four kilometres from the main project area. The other six drill rigs are continuing to operate at Tumpangpitu and Candrian and no further interruptions are expected." (alex)