"We are grateful for the construction of the PESK facility by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. In this way, the Kapuas Hulu local government has contributed to the action of the regional plan for mercury reduction," Kapuas Hulu district head Fransiskus Diaan said in Putussibau Kapuas Hulu on Saturday.
The Kapuas Hulu local government and the director general of waste, hazardous, and toxic materials management at the Ministry of LHK signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and work agreement related to gold processing without mercury in Jakarta on Friday (April 14, 2023).
According to Diaan, the three largest gold mines in Kapuas Hulu are in Boyan Tanjung, Bunut Hilir, and Bunut Hulu Sub-districts.
A Kehatilab consultant team has also conducted environmental studies in three villages, which are part of the largest community mining clusters in Boyan Tanjung sub-district, namely Teluk Geruguk, Nanga Boyan, and Landau Mentail Villages.
With gold mining activities currently taking place in the area, Diaan expressed concern over the possibility of environmental pollution in the future due to the use of chemicals and the waste generated during the mining process.
He said, in the past, gold mining activities were done manually, using equipment such as hoes and traditional gold pans, which were done on the mainland, but now, gold mining is being done on the banks of rivers and even in the middle of rivers using driftwood and suction machines or pumps.
"The results of testing environmental samples is very important information for us to find out the environmental conditions of gold mining in our area so that it becomes a material for our consideration in monitoring and coaching miners in the area," he said.
Therefore, it is hoped that the community will take advantage of the PESK facility built by the Ministry of LHK, which aims to reduce the risk of chemicals in the hope that gold mining activities would not involve the use of mercury.
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Translator: Teofilusianto Timotius, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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