Emperor Gold Mines claims that there is no evidence that tailings from its operations at Tolukuma mine in Papua New Guinea are poisoning the local rivers.
A recent study commissioned by the Central Province government said dangerously high levels of toxic metals are found in blood samples of people living along local rivers near Tolukuma mine.
But Emperor Mines spokesman, Patrick Bindon, says claims by the man who conducted the study, Dr Sylvester Kotapu, that he is a senior pathologist at two Australian hospitals have proved to be bogus.
And Mr Bindon says the study's findings are not credible:
"The blood test results that Kotapu is showing actually show that normal range results for human beings - so if you or I were tested, we would show similar quantities of these elements in our bloodstream. What he's done is strip out normal range data from his findings and he's claiming then that the presence of these things represents evidence of poisoning when in fact they don't."
Patrick Bindon of Emperor Mines.
