Newmont Mining Corp. will send teams of University of Colorado medical specialists to Peru and Ghana in June to assess community health issues before opening new mines there, the company said Wednesday.
The $700,000 pilot project could lead to an ongoing program in those countries and others where the world’s largest gold-mining company operates.
Residents who live near Newmont mines in Peru and Indonesia have attacked the company for its environmental practices.
The six-member CU teams will assess public-health needs and help Newmont develop long-term plans to address those needs.
“Mining, done the right way, is much more than simply extracting a resource,’ Newmont chief executive Wayne Murdy said in a statement. “It’s investing in people and communities, generating jobs and income … and enhancing access to education and health care.’
Dr. Richard Krugman, dean of the CU School of Medicine, said the program sprang from a conversation between the two men in September.
Staff writer Greg Griffin can be reached at 303-820-1241 or ggriffin@denverpost.com.
