The environmental impact of Inland Mining

52 Figure 4.6. Indonesian Environmental Index

Source: Indonesian Governance Index, 2012

53 which was followed by tin ore extraction through gravel pumping method. In the next process, tin ore will be collected, stored in a warehouse and transported to the smelter. Along with these processes, terrestrial habitats have to move or to be moved far from mining areas.

Various wood plants or shrubs also have to be felled or replanted elsewhere. The whole series of tin mining activities has become one of the biggest contributors to the environmental degradation.

4.3.1.1. Land Use Change and Environmental Impact

Mining activities in West Barat District has transformed the covered land area into open land with topographically different features (Figure 4.7). It results in the river flow or pattern changes and formation of pit mines in West Bangka District. The ground cover loss has led to the increasing volume of runoff water as a result of the land inability to hold rainwater. Besides, it also caused the serial disruption on vegetation, and animals, as well as the natural ecosystem around mining areas (PT. Timah, 2014).

Figure 4.7. Land Mining Area Growths (Open pit) in Bangka Barat District Information: red spot shown tin ming area

Source: Compilation from Susanto, 2015

One of the tangible impacts of the land use change is the increasing number of open pit mine (Figure 4.8; Table 4.1). The formation of open pit mines are generally a result of hydraulic

54 mining activity or by dredging. Those activities will leave an open pit mine with a different form, size and depth which will determine the speed of reclamation, especially in terms of biota regeneration. The size and depth of open pit mines depend on the type of digging activity. A hole depth is varies from 1 meter to 21 meters, but generally, the depth of a pit mine in West Bangka District is above 5 meters. In 2010, there is at least 589 pit mines identified in Bangka Island. Specifically, for West Bangka District alone, there is at least 130 pit mines in 2010, with a total area of 118.08 hectares (Table 4.1). The large number of pit mines also resulted from illegal mining which operated both inside and outside PT. Timah mining areas.

Figure 4.8. Tin Mining Sites in West Bangka District Source: Author observation

The data showed that tin mining activity is also carried out in the forest area (Table

55 4.2). Based on Indonesian Regulation, a conservation forest prohibits mining operations.

However, the protected forest is only banned for mining activity through open pit scheme.

Table 4.1. Number and Size of Pit Mine in Bangka Island

No Sub-District Number of pit Size (Hectars)

1 Mentok 31 59.45

2 Jebus 75 23.38

3 Belinyu 125 202.05

4 Sungailiat 83 134,11

5 Pangkalan Baru 88 110,01

6 Tempilang 24 35,25

7 Sungai Selan 69 407,48

8 Toboali 49 63,78

9 Koba (Ex WP PT Koba Tin) 45 1453,4

Total 589 2488,91

Source: PT. Timah 2010 and PT. Koba Tin 2010

Table 4.2. Tin Mining Activities of PT. Timah in Conservation Forest (Ha)

Status Kabupaten Luas (Ha)

C&C¹⁹

Bangka 125.91

West Barat 828.81

Central Bangs 790.39

Cross District 352.81

Total 2,097.91

NON-C&C

Bangka 573.62

West Bangka 66.17

South Bangka 164.1

Central Bangka 299.43

Total 1,103.31

Total 3,201.22

Source: WALHI, 2014

The total area of PT. Timah mining permit area in the conservation forest of Bangka Island is 3,201.22 hectares which exist in four districts (Table 4.2). Based on the data from WALHI (2014), about 2,097.91 hectares is categorized as C&C. While another 1,103.31 hectares is categorized as non-C&C. In 2015, about 24,538 hectares of PT. Timah mining area

19 C&C is abbreviation of Clean and Clear. This term is widely used after the press releases of Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in 2011, following a number of inquiries from various parties regarding the status of mining permit area. The company with C&C status means that the issuance of mining permit is accordance with mining law and vice versa. The function of C&C is to ensure that the company has already obey the law.

56 overlapped with protected forest. Besides, another 328,708 hectars of PT.Timah mining area overlapped with production forest and farms²⁰.

Besides land use change and deforestation, tin mining activities also polluted ground water and the river. The tailing management which was used in on-site tailing disposal has made open pit water that contains heavy metal and hazardous materials which can leak into the ground water or pollute the surrounding area. Potential risk caused by the leak of contaminated water into the ground is often unmonitored due to the weak monitoring system.

The toxic chemicals released into the water is dangerous for the aquatic biota. Besides, tin mining process activity always needs water sources nearby which results in the depletion of water amount available.

Figure 4.9. The Development of Mining Area (red dot) and River Flow (yellow line) Information: (a) tin mining close to the sea; (b) tin mining close to residential area Source: Author documentation

20 Antara babel, 2015, http://babel.antaranews.com/berita/21713/ribuan-hektare-iup-pt-timah-tumpang

(a)

(b)

57 4.3.1.2. Tin Mining and Floods

Data from the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) of Indonesia showed that all districts in Bangka Belitung Province have a medium potential level of floods.

In February 2016, almost all areas in Bangka Belitung Province had flooded severely. Tin mining activities in the upstream and downstream are considered to trigger the siltation of the river, which made river overflow and caused floods. Specifically, West Bangka District floods have been caused by ex-pit mines that have not been reclaimed. There are two sub-districts which are always flooded since 2009, which is Jebus District and Parittiga Sub-District. Therefore, West Bangka Regent asked PT.Timah to immediately conduct reclamation at the ex-pit mines without having to wait before the contract expires²¹

4.3.1.3. Tin Mining, Environmental Insecurity and Community Health

The degradation of environmental quality has a positive correlation with community health. Based on the Health Agency of West Bangka District data, the number of pit mine affects the increasing of malaria cases. Open pit mining which made stagnant water or puddles inside the pit mines has become a breeding place of the diseases including malaria and dengue mosquitos. A bad environmental condition followed by improper health risk prevention and management has triggered the increasing number of malaria cases. The areas that become the focus of tin exploitation is mostly vulnerable to the malaria cases.

Parit Tiga Sub-District, Muntok Sub-District and Jebus Sub-District have become a focus of tin exploitation area to this day and they have the highest records of malaria cases rather than other areas (Figure 4.10)

21 Radar Bangka, March 2016. http://www.radarbangka.co.id/berita/detail/muntok/37923/pt-timah-diminta-reklamasi-lahan-eks-tambang.html

58 Figure 4.10. Malaria cases in West Bangka District

Source: Health agency of West Bangka District