LONDON (Alliance News) - Acacia Mining PLC on Thursday said it has been fined USD130,000 for breaching environment rules at Tanzania's North Mara mine.
Acacia has not received any supporting findings, it said, relating to matters set out in the environment protection order.
The National Environment Management Council has reported a "hazardous" substance seepage at North Mara, but Acacia said it is unaware of any such problem.
Acacia believes it could relate to a long-standing seepage at the base of the tailings storage facility at North Mara, but this is already "well-known" to both the NEMC and the Tanzanian government.
"This seepage remains managed by pumps which return the water to the tailings storage facility and it is, therefore, contained on the mine site, does not flow into the surrounding environment or present a risk of contamination to any public water source," Acacia said.
The firm also noted media reports the Tanzanian government has ordered a new tailings storage facility at North Mara.
Acacia said it has been verbally ordered to build a new one, but has not received any written documents. It has "already recognised" the need for a new site, but it believes a new facility would be more economic than expanding the current infrastructure.
Overall operations at North Mara remain unaffected by these developments, Acacia said.
Acacia shares were 0.2% higher on Thursday at 199.39 pence each.
