Some on the Indonesian islands fear mining’s damage to the environment

Indonesia has the world’s largest known supply of nickel and significant supplies of precious metals, including cobalt and bauxite. However, the mining industry there is criticized for not protecting the environment and some Indonesian islanders.

The Southeast Asian country is involved in mining, which produces materials important for the manufacture of stainless steel and electric vehicles Batteriesamong other things.

Indonesia aims to expand its mining and processing industries. But the development may face opposition from international and local groups.

Nickel processing centers are becoming more common in parts of Indonesia. Sometimes, the plants are near the sea where many boats are lined up to transport ore, a mineral mixture containing nickel. Sometimes, these plants are near schools or places where local people hunt or farm.

The World Resources Institute, based in Washington, D.C., says that from 2001 to 2020, 1.4 million hectares of trees were cut down around the world. Indonesia is estimated to have suffered the greatest loss.

Amanda Horowitz is the director of Mighty Earth. Mining companies on Kabena Island have cleared 3,700 hectares of forest in the past 22 years, said Horowitz, whose environmental group is also based in Washington, D.C.

Fishermen who used to fish off the island said the waters were full of mine sediments. People in farming communities also say they have been affected. They say that sugarcane, sugar palm and clove trees do not grow well anymore.

Amal Susanto is a sugar palm farmer. He said: This is the impact: the growth of sugar palm will not be good because of the impact of mining. Susanto lives in an area where permits have been approved but mining has not yet begun.

Residents of the area have reported health problems. Some told the Associated Press (AP) that they had itchy skin. painful Sore throat and other difficulties.

The Indonesia-based non-profit group Satya Bumi sent water, dust and shellfish from the area to a laboratory this year. The group said the results showed dangerous levels of nickel, lead and cadmium. These materials are associated with mining.

Katherine Schilling is an assistant professor and researcher in biology at Columbia University in New York City. I studied the lab results. “If people on this island are using river water as drinking water … you basically can’t escape exposure to that water,” Schilling told the AP. Toxic Metals.”

Cabina isn’t the only place affected. To the north, on a larger island, Toropolo is another place where damage from mining can be seen.

Mining problems persist even though the Indonesian Constitutional Court ruled in March this year that small islands like Kapina should enjoy special protection. However, a researcher from Satya Bhoomi said the government is still approving mining permits.

The group Mighty Earth said 150 hectares of forest in Kapina had been cleared since April 1, more than half of which it said was on land controlled by mining company Tonia Mitra Sejahtera. The company and Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources did not respond to requests for comment from the AP.

Amiruddin is a 53-year-old fisherman on Kabena Island. He said that the results of government permits for mining affected many people.

“All the residents here have felt the impact,” he said.

I’m Mario Ritter Jr.

Yusef Wahil and Victoria Milko reported this story for The Associated Press. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for Voice of America for learning English.

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The words in this story

Batteries -N. A device that stores energy chemically and can produce an electric current
painful – characteristic. painful
Toxic – characteristic. Something toxic

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