968 Figure 4 – Illegal mining involving heavy machinery • Informal Tin Mining in Bangka Belitung: This mining activity has led to severe environmental and social issues, including degraded landscapes and social conflicts. Even with the new regulation (Law No. 3/2020), illegal practices have not significantly decreased. Figure 5 – Abandoned tin mining pits locally known as "kolong" When flying to Pangkalpinang, the capital of the Bangka Belitung Islands, one can see dozens of blue and green lakes upon descent. These lakes are not natural formations but abandoned tin mining pits called "kolong." Many of these illegal pits emerged during the 2000s. These areas were once more than just scrubland; they were plantations, forests, mangroves, and residential areas. Uncontrolled informal mining activities over the years have left behind severe damage: • Ecosystem Destruction: Offshore mining causes water turbidity, sedimentation, and the destruction of coral reefs, which harms the fisheries and tourism sectors. • Critical Land: There are tens of thousands of unreclaimed mining pits (kolong), transforming the landscape into barren, critical land. • Local Economic Crisis: Crackdowns on illegal smelters and the suspension of operations by several large companies have triggered waves of layoffs and a decline in the purchasing power of communities that have long depended on the informal tin supply chain. • Unlicensed Gold Mining in West Dumoga, Bolaang Mongondow: These activities have resulted in ecological impacts (pollution, mining voids, hazardous residues, and land degradation), government economic burdens (post-damage restoration costs), and the loss of potential state revenue. In addition to violating the law, illegal activities—such as those at the Oboy site—threaten environmental sustainability. The open-pit methods used are suspected of utilizing hazardous chemicals such as carbon, lime, and cyanide, which have the potential to contaminate soil and water and jeopardize the health of surrounding communities.
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