First MediaMIND 2026 Socialisation: Information on Mining Contributions Needs Improvement
Jakarta (ANTARA) – Balanced and constructive information regarding the mining industry needs to be continuously strengthened, given the significant contribution of this sector to the national economy and public life.
Suhasman, Director of Student Affairs at Hasanuddin University (UNCA), stated that the public often responds to information without fully understanding the context, which has the potential to create inaccurate perceptions.
“Sometimes, when I encounter information that I am familiar with and observe how netizens respond to the news, it appears that more than 50% of the time, it is perceived inconsistently with the actual intent,” said Suhasman during the first MediaMIND 2026 socialisation at UNHAS, organised by Vale Indonesia, in Makassar (31/8/2026).
According to him, mining issues are often perceived partially, primarily due to the intense tension between economic and environmental interests. On the other hand, public attention tends to gravitate more towards negative information.
“It is rare that we are interested in reading how much benefit has been derived from mining activities, for example, or the extent of the area mined compared to the benefits obtained from the mine,” he added.
In reality, the mining sector’s contribution to the national economy continues to grow. The sector is entering a new chapter in the mining industry roadmap. With strategic mineral reserves such as nickel, copper, bauxite, gold, and tin, Indonesia continues to strengthen its supply chain through integrated manufacturing industries.
The management of Indonesia’s mineral resources will no longer rely solely on extraction but must be directed towards increasing added value through domestic processing. This approach is key to ensuring that the resulting benefits are optimised to support national economic sovereignty.
In this context, MediaMIND 2026 presents six main sub-themes: Economy and Investment, ESG & Green Mining, Downstreaming and Industrialisation, Indonesian Mineral Resilience, Social Community Contribution, and Transformation and Innovation.
This journalism competition officially commenced on 1 August 2026. The entries being competed for are publications from the period of 15 September 2025 to 17 September 2026, with the submission deadline for journalists set for 17 September 2026, and categories for the general public, academics, and observers until 25 October 2026.