Newmont Exonerated in Indonesia Trial

Newmont Exonerated in Indonesia Trial

April 24, 2007

Court Clears PT Newmont Minahasa Raya and President
Director Richard Ness of All Charges


    MANADO, Indonesia, April 24 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- An
Indonesian court today ruled that PT Newmont Minahasa Raya
(PTNMR), a subsidiary of Newmont Mining Corporation (NYSE:
NEM), and its President Director Richard Ness are innocent
of all criminal charges of pollution and regulatory
violations.  The prosecution alleged that PTNMR and Ness
caused environmental pollution while conducting mining
operations near Buyat Bay in the South Minahasa District of
Northern Sulawesi province. 

    Ruling on evidence presented during the 21-month trial,
one of the longest criminal proceedings in Indonesian
history, the court held that Buyat Bay is not polluted.  It
further found, as PTNMR contended, that the company was in
compliance with all regulations and permits during its
eight years of operations from 1996 to 2004.

    "I'm thrilled that after nearly two and one-half
years of false allegations, my name, and that of my fellow
employees, has been cleared and our reputations
restored," said President Director Richard Ness. 
"This is a victory for everyone who believes in
justice and for the communities around Buyat Bay who can
now be fully confident that Buyat Bay's waters are clean,
that the fish are safe for consumption, and that their
health has not been affected by our operations.  I express
my sincere thanks and gratitude for the support of my
family, my company, and my fellow Newmont employees who
stood by me and knew all along that the accusations against
us were fabricated.  I also express my deep respect for
those Buyat Bay community members who spoke the truth in
support of me."  

    Some of the evidence heard in the trial exonerating Mr.
Ness and PTNMR included:

    *  Four independent physicians -- including government
and
       university affiliated doctors -- who examined Buyat
Bay
       residents testified under oath that they found no
diseases
       resulting from PTNMR's operations;
    *  Dr. Jane Pangemanan, who leveled the initial
allegations
       against PTNMR, recanted earlier charges and
testified
       under oath that she did not diagnose any heavy
metal
       related diseases in villagers;
    *  Tests conducted by the United Nations' World Health
       Organization, Indonesia's Ministry of the
Environment,
       Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial
       Research Organisation, and Japan's National
Institute
       for Minamata Disease all showed that Buyat Bay was
not
       polluted; and,
    *  Five current and former government officials and
       regulators testified under oath that Newmont had all
the
       appropriate operating permits and did not violate
any of
       them.

    "We could not be more pleased that this case was
decided on the facts and evidence presented in court,"
said Newmont Chairman and CEO Wayne Murdy.  "Anyone who
followed the evidence presented in this case would have
expected this result.  It is the correct decision, and
there is no factual or legal basis upon which to reasonably
dispute this outcome."

    Newmont Vice President of Asia Operations, Robert
Gallagher, further encouraged an end to a Buyat Bay outcome
driven by hidden agendas.  "If anyone has any residual
concern in regard to the condition of Buyat Bay, let that
concern be addressed by pure science," said Gallagher.
 "The government and PTNMR have established the
independent scientific panel that will monitor and report
on Buyat Bay for almost another decade, and we are
confident that it will confirm what we have always said: 
there is no pollution." 

    Immediately following the verdict, Ness told
supporters, "I have lived in Indonesia for more than
25 years.  This is my home, and I am delighted to see
justice and truth prevail.  The question remains, shouldn't
the perpetrators of this hoax be brought to justice for the
sake of the Buyat Bay communities who suffered at the hands
of these people?"

    More information about the case can be found at
http://www.BuyatBayFacts.com along with a chronology of
events at
http://www.buyatbayfacts.com/what_happened/timeline.aspx .

    About Newmont

    Founded in 1921 and publicly traded on the NYSE since
1925, Newmont is one of the largest gold companies in the
world.  Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the company
employs approximately 14,000 people, the majority of whom
work at Newmont's core operations in the United States,
Australia, Peru, Indonesia, and Ghana.  Newmont is also the
only gold company listed in the S&P 500 index.

    Newmont's industry-leading performance is reflected
through high standards in environmental management, health
and safety for its employees and creating value and
opportunity for our host communities.  Newmont's Batu Hijau
mine has received the highest environmental designation
awarded by the government of Indonesia for outstanding
environmental stewardship.


    For more information, please contact:

     Manado, Rubi Purnomo
     Tel:    [phone], Ext. 44657 (Direct)
     Mobile: [phone]-399
     Email:  [e-mail]

     Corp. HQ, Omar Jabara
     Tel:    [phone] (Direct)
     Mobile: [phone]
             [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]

     Jakarta, Pretty Momonto
     Tel:    [phone], Ext. 44816 (Direct)
     Email:  [e-mail]