Some on Indonesian Islands Fear Mining Damage to Environment
2025-01-02
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1Indonesia has the world's largest known supply of nickel and major supplies of valuable minerals, including cobalt and bauxite.
2However, the mining industry there is being criticized for not protecting the environment and some Indonesian island people.
3The Southeast Asian country is involved in mining that produces materials important to the manufacture of stainless steel and electric vehicle batteries, among other things.
4Indonesia is aiming to expand its mining and processing industries.
5But the development could face opposition from international and local groups.
6Nickel processing centers are becoming more common in parts of Indonesia.
7Sometimes, the plants are near the sea where many boats line up to carry ore, a mineral combination that contains nickel.
8Sometimes, these plants are near schools or places where local people fish or farm.
9The World Resources Institute, based in Washington D.C., says from 2001 to 2020, 1.4 million hectares of trees were cut down around the world.
10Indonesia is estimated to have had the highest loss.
11Amanda Hurowitz is a director with Mighty Earth.
12The environmental group is also based in Washington, D.C.
13Hurowitz said that, on the island of Kabaena, mining companies have cleared 3,700 hectares of forest in the last 22 years.
14Fishermen who used to fish off the island have said the waters are filled with sediment from the mines.
15People in farming communities also say they are affected.
16They say sugar cane, sugar palms and clove trees do not grow well anymore.
17Amal Susanto is a sugar palm farmer.
18He said: "That's the effect: The growth of the sugar palm trees will not be as good because of the influence of mining."
19Susanto lives in an area where permits have been approved but mining has not yet begun.
20People living in the area have reported health problems.
21Some told the Associated Press (AP) that they suffered from itchy skin, sore throat and other difficulties.
22The Indonesia-based nonprofit group Satya Bumi sent water, dust and shellfish from the area to a laboratory this year.
23The group said the results showed dangerous levels of nickel, lead and cadmium. These substances are linked to mining.
24Kathrin Shilling is an assistant professor and biology researcher at Columbia University in New York City.
25She studied the lab results.
26Shilling told the AP, "If people on this island are using the river water as drinking water...you cannot escape basically any of the exposure to those toxic metals."
27Kabaena is not the only place affected. To the north, on a larger island, Torobulu is another place where mining damage can be seen.
28The mining problems continue although Indonesia's constitutional court ruled in March of this year that small islands such as Kabaena should have special protection.
29However, a researcher from Satya Bumi said the government is still approving mining permits.
30The group Mighty Earth said 150 hectares of forest have been cleared on Kabaena since April 1.
31And it said over half of that was on land controlled by the mining company Tonia Mitra Sejahtera.
32The company and Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources did not answer requests for comment from the AP.
33Amiruddin is a 53-year-old fisherman on Kabaena Island.
34He said the results of the government permits for mining have affected many people.
35"All residents here have felt the impact," he said.
36I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.
1Indonesia has the world's largest known supply of nickel and major supplies of valuable minerals, including cobalt and bauxite. However, the mining industry there is being criticized for not protecting the environment and some Indonesian island people. 2The Southeast Asian country is involved in mining that produces materials important to the manufacture of stainless steel and electric vehicle batteries, among other things. 3Indonesia is aiming to expand its mining and processing industries. But the development could face opposition from international and local groups. 4Nickel processing centers are becoming more common in parts of Indonesia. Sometimes, the plants are near the sea where many boats line up to carry ore, a mineral combination that contains nickel. Sometimes, these plants are near schools or places where local people fish or farm. 5The World Resources Institute, based in Washington D.C., says from 2001 to 2020, 1.4 million hectares of trees were cut down around the world. Indonesia is estimated to have had the highest loss. 6Amanda Hurowitz is a director with Mighty Earth. The environmental group is also based in Washington, D.C. Hurowitz said that, on the island of Kabaena, mining companies have cleared 3,700 hectares of forest in the last 22 years. 7Fishermen who used to fish off the island have said the waters are filled with sediment from the mines. People in farming communities also say they are affected. They say sugar cane, sugar palms and clove trees do not grow well anymore. 8Amal Susanto is a sugar palm farmer. He said: "That's the effect: The growth of the sugar palm trees will not be as good because of the influence of mining." Susanto lives in an area where permits have been approved but mining has not yet begun. 9People living in the area have reported health problems. Some told the Associated Press (AP) that they suffered from itchy skin, sore throat and other difficulties. 10The Indonesia-based nonprofit 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 substances are linked to mining. 11Kathrin Shilling is an assistant professor and biology researcher at Columbia University in New York City. She studied the lab results. Shilling told the AP, "If people on this island are using the river water as drinking water...you cannot escape basically any of the exposure to those toxic metals." 12Kabaena is not the only place affected. To the north, on a larger island, Torobulu is another place where mining damage can be seen. 13The mining problems continue although Indonesia's constitutional court ruled in March of this year that small islands such as Kabaena should have special protection. However, a researcher from Satya Bumi said the government is still approving mining permits. 14The group Mighty Earth said 150 hectares of forest have been cleared on Kabaena since April 1. And it said over half of that was on land controlled by the mining company Tonia Mitra Sejahtera. The company and Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources did not answer requests for comment from the AP. 15Amiruddin is a 53-year-old fisherman on Kabaena Island. He said the results of the government permits for mining have affected many people. 16"All residents here have felt the impact," he said. 17I'm Mario Ritter, Jr. 18Yusuf Wahil and Victoria Milko reported this story for the Associated Press. Mario Ritter, Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. 19__________________________________________ 20Words in This Story 21batteries -n. a device that chemically stores power and can produce electrical current 22sore -adj. painful 23toxic -adj. something that is poisonous 24We want to hear from you.