The lives of millions of people in some parts of Indonesia are threatened by the pollution of mercury used by small-scale gold miners.
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Kompas/Fransiskus Pati Herin
Illegal gold mining site on Mount Botak, Buru regency, Maluku, re-encroached since January 2017 as seen on Nov. 8. The mining location first operated in November 2011 and was then closed in November 2015 for damaging the environment, which had been caused by mercury, among other things.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The lives of millions of people in some parts of Indonesia are threatened by the widespread pollution of mercury used by small-scale gold miners. The use of the mercury in the mining sector is continuing to grow, despite the government ban.
Association of Small-Scale Miners (APRI) secretary-general Syafei Kadarusman said the number of small-scale miners in the country continued to increase, and that most of them used mercury (hydrargyrum, Hg) to process gold ore. "The number of miners has reached two million people," Syafei said on Sunday.
APRI estimates that at least 850 small-scale gold mining sites (PESK) are operating across 197 cities and districts in 32 provinces. Thus, almost the entire archipelago is threatened by mercury poisoning.
Mercury pollution is life threatening. Exposure to it penetrates tissues in the body, damages the nerves, internal organs and the brain, and causes fetal defects, miscarriages, genetic mutations, as well as death.
The government ratified the Minamata Convention on Mercury on Sept. 13 and then issued a regulation to gradually ban the use of the mercury in the country. However, according to Kompas, as of last week, mercury was still being widely used by small-scale gold miners in Java, Sumatra, Maluku, Sulawesi, and Papua.
In Banten, the use of the mercury is still widespread, especially at Mount Halimun Salak National Park. In Bogor, a gold miner was arrested last week for possessing 200 kilograms of mercury. "We are still investigating the origin of the mercury," said Bogor Police chief Adj. Sr. Comm. AM Dicky Pastika Gading.
The police also found cinnabar (the chief ore for mercury) being processed into mercury in the southern parts of Bogor and to the north of Sukabumi.
Cinnabar
Every month, about 300 tons of cinnabar are extracted from Mount Tembaga on Seram Island, Maluku province. The cinnabar is shipped to Ambon Island and Buru Island, and to Bogor and Sukabumi through the ports of Surabaya and Jakarta.
The cinnabar is processed into mercury and then distributed to a number of areas. Some are also exported to a several countries from Asia to America. The mineral’s discovery in Mt Tembaga has shifted Indonesia’s position from the world’s largest mercury importer to the largest mercury producer.
In Aceh, using mercury is also common. The mining activities that use mercury are located in Aceh Jaya, Pidie, South Aceh, Nagan Raya, West Aceh, and Central Aceh. In Aceh Jaya, about 800 active mines use at least 192 tons of mercury per year.
A similar condition was found in West Sumatra, Jambi and South Sumatra. Two months ago, the police in South Solok, West Java, found 1 kilogram of mercury t a gold shop. South Solok Police Head Adj. Sr. Comm. M Nurdin has suspended mining activities in response to the ratification of the Minamata Convention. "However, some miners are still continuing their operations," he said.
In Jambi province, mercury use is prevalent in Merangin, Bungo, Sarolangun, Tebo and Batanghari districts, and pollutes the tributaries of the Batanghari River.
Last year, the Jambi Freshwater Laboratory assessed water samples taken from the Pangkalan Jambu River in Merangin district, one of the areas worst affected by Jambi\'s mines. It found the sample had a mercury content of 5.045 ppb (0.005045 ppm), far exceeding the maximum of 0.001 ppm.
Economic factors
Miners argue that economic factors triggered the rise in the number of small-scale gold miners. At the Cibeber mine site in Lebak district, Banten province, th about 5,000 people hunt for gold in underground mines 300 meters deep. Despite the threat of landslides, they risk their lives in dangerous mining activities, which can make them a monthly income of Rp 400 million.
Cisitu community secretary Yoyo Yohenda, whose village is located close to the gold mining activities, said at least 70 gold hunters had been killed in Cibeber, Cilograng and Bayah. The worst was in late 2016, when 11 Cibeber workers were buried in a landslide.
According to the head of Sukabumi’s Industry, Energy and Mineral Resources Agency, Adi Purnomo, the mercury was used not only in gold mining but also in industrial activities. "Mercury is prohibited in mining activities, but it is still allowed in the health and cosmetics industries. So, the possibility of leaching is still high," he said.
Widespread impacts
Director general MR Karliansyah of Environmental Damage and Pollution Control at the Environment and Forestry Ministry said the use of the mercury in mining activities had caused a serious impact on the environment and the lives of citizens.
In addition to damaging the natural landscape, mercury also polluted the environment, water, air, and sediment. "According to a survey carried out in 2010 in Aceh, West Sumatra, and Jambi, the mercury levels in rivers has exceeded the maximum limit," said Karliansyah.
Meanwhile, Syafei said that a “mafia” distributed the mercury to small-scale gold mines, but that people blamed the miners. "People don’t understand that the mafia is involved," he said.
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has also issued a 2014-2018 National Plan of Action (RAN) for the Elimination of Mercury Use in Processing Gold. However, Syafei said the plan had not been implemented fully.
The head of the communications, public information and cooperation bureau at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Dadan Kusdiana, said the authority to control mining activities lay with the local government. The central government, including the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), was involved only in supervision and coordination in relation to mining permits throughout Indonesia.
"Since Law No. 23/2014 on Regional Governments was issued, the authority and governance of licensure has been in the hands of the provincial government. The central government is only involved in supervision and coordination," said Dadan.
