Nickel Mining Damages Environment on Manuran Island, Minister Says
- VIVAlife/Maya Sofia
Jakarta, VIVA – Indonesian Minister of Environment, Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, revealed that the Ministry of Environment has found evidence of environmental damage in Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua, following nickel mining activities.
The ministry discovered that nickel mining was being conducted on several small islands in Raja Ampat by four companies, such as PT GN, PT ASP, PT KSM, and PT MRB.
The environmental damage was specifically detected on Manuran Island, where mining operations are run by PT ASP.
"This island (Manuran) is quite small, only 743 hectares. So if it's exploited, recovery would be very difficult because there are no materials left to support restoration. That’s why we are reviewing the environmental documents," said the minister on Sunday (June 8).
Nurofiq added that PT ASP received a mining permit from the Regent of Raja Ampat, but the approval documents have not yet reached the Ministry.
"The environmental approval for PT ASP was issued by the Regent of Raja Ampat under Decree No. 75B of 2006. We have not received these documents and will request them for further review," minister Nurofiq explained.
Menteri LH Hanif Faisol Nurofiq
- ANTARA/Prisca Triferna
Signs of environmental damage on Manuran Island include murky shorelines and a damaged settling pond (a sedimentation pool), which leaked and polluted the coastal area.
"During inspection, we found that a settling pond had burst, leading to significant pollution and murky waters. The company must take responsibility for this," he stated.
The minister emphasized that PT ASP must improve its environmental management, as the company currently lacks a proper environmental management system.
"Compared to PT GN, PT ASP’s handling of environmental concerns is much weaker," he noted.
Minister Nurofiq added, "The company doesn’t even have proper environmental management, which results in poor environmental conditions on Manuran Island."
Legal enforcement teams have already sealed off the mining site on Manuran Island. He suspects the mining was conducted carelessly.
