11 22 metals, rendering it unfit for consumption, destroying aquatic ecosystems, and threatening public health. Figure 2 – Basamuk Bay waters, Papua New Guinea, discolored by toxic waste from a Chinese-owned nickel mine in 2019 2. Landscape Degradation and Deforestation Illegal mining causes permanent ecological damage, including the loss of forest cover, soil erosion, and mercury contamination, particularly in areas such as the new national capital (IKN) and Sumatra. These activities destroy wildlife habitats, trigger floods and landslides due to decreased water absorption, and lead to state financial losses and social conflict. Figure 3 – Forest deforestation in West Sumatra 3. Lack of Reclamation and Post-Mining Management Unlicensed Mining (Pertambangan Tanpa Izin or PETI) in Indonesia is characterized by a minimal, and often non-existent, approach to reclamation and post-mining management. These practices operate without complying with technical standards, ignoring environmental obligations, and leaving behind excavation pits that devastate ecosystems. Key points regarding the lack of reclamation in illegal mining include: • Negligence of Environmental Responsibility: PETI (illegal mining) operators are not bound by legal obligations to conduct reclamation, leaving mined lands abandoned.
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