Starting Sunday (July 24) evening, illegal miners must stop their activities
Bangka Belitung Islands (ANTARA) - The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry's Director General of Minerals and Coal, Ridwan Djamaluddin, and safety and supervision team of Bangka Belitung Islands' Sea Security stopped the operations of illegal tin mines in Belinyu Sea.

"Starting Sunday (July 24) evening, illegal miners must stop their activities," Djamaluddin emphasized after conducting a patrol on illegal mining in Belinyu Sea, Bangka District, early Monday morning.

Earlier, Djamaluddin, who is concurrently acting governor of Bangka Belitung Islands, conducted a patrol with the team on illegal mining activities on Monday morning.

The patrol started from Belinyu Sea to Penyusuk Beach at Bangka District to check that illegal tin ore (cassiterite) mines were not operating in these waters.


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In the operation, the team found dozens of illegal tin ore mining pontoons operating in Belinyu Sea or outside the mining business license (IUP) of state-owned tin mining firm PT Timah Tbk.

"If these miners are still repeating these illegal actions, we do not hesitate to act strictly in accordance with the rules," Djamaluddin emphasized.

He noted that illegal tin ore mining harms fishers as its mining location is a catchment area for traditional fishers on Bangka Island.


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Djamaluddin echoed the government's readiness to facilitate these miners to register for licensing of tin ore mining.

"If miners face difficulty in registering for permits, we will help, and please go to the sub-district (office) to take care of the (license of) business entities. After having a permit, then cooperate with the IUP holders, both PT Timah and the private sector," he remarked.

"There should be no purchase of tin sand obtained from illegal mines. If we can implement it, then the illegal mines will stop by themselves," Djamaluddin had stated earlier on June 19, 2022.


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Translator: Aprionis, Kenzu T
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2022