Sensation of 30,000 Tonnes of Gold Discovered in Banten, Lost to Foreign Control
Gold has long been regarded as an attractive investment instrument. Its price remains relatively stable, offering measured returns over time. Particularly during crises such as wars, gold becomes increasingly desirable as a ‘safe haven’ to protect wealth against inflation threats.
History records that major gold discoveries occurred in areas near Jakarta. The Cikotok region in Banten reportedly yielded a total of 30,000 tonnes of gold. This discovery not only brought immense fortune but also marked an important milestone that ushered in a new era for Indonesia’s gold mining industry.
For some time, the colonial government had heard rumours of a major gold source south of Batavia (present-day Jakarta) in the Cikotok area of Banten. Cikotok lay relatively close to the Batavian city centre—merely 200 km away. To verify these claims, the government conducted geological research led by Dutch researcher W.F.F Oppenoorth.
From 1919, Oppenoorth and his team departed from Sukabumi, trekking through Javanese forests to the suspected gold source. The survey included road construction and tunnel development for potential mining operations. The research proved fruitful: Cikotok indeed contained abundant gold deposits. However, mining proved difficult, requiring extensive forest clearing and numerous new tunnels.
By 1928, approximately 25 tunnels had been successfully constructed, cutting through steep hills, highlands and narrow valleys. The newspaper Sumatra-bode reported on 2 March 1928 that roughly 25 tunnels had been built, though only some exceeded 135 metres in depth. The government spent 80,000 guilders—equivalent to billions of rupiah—annually.
The expenditure proved worthwhile. In March 1928, the long-circulating gold rumours were finally confirmed: Cikotok yielded 30,000 tonnes of gold buried underground, as reported by Sumatra-bode.
A National Treasure Falls to Colonial Hands
This discovery shocked all of Indonesia, as the government stood to gain immense wealth. Subsequently, the colonial government granted operational rights to NV Mijnbouw Maatchappij Zuid Bantam. Large-scale mining commenced immediately. Transport routes expanded beyond Sukabumi to include access from Rangkasbitung and Pelabuhan Ratu, according to the newspaper de Indische Courant (25 July 1939).
A processing plant with daily capacity of 20 tonnes was constructed, though it could not accommodate all extracted ore due to the abundance of gold. Even during operations, labourers frequently discovered gold nuggets of varying weights, with the highest reaching 126 grammes.
By 1933, gold mining yielded impressive results. The Cikotok mining area covered 400 square kilometres, with gold accessible at depths of merely 50 metres. The government extracted far greater quantities: de Locomotief reported on 29 March 1933 that exploration revealed over 61,000 tonnes of gold valued at 3.68 billion guilders.
Yet this abundance benefited only one party—the colonial government, which grew increasingly wealthy. The indigenous population gained no advantage or welfare from mining operations, despite colonial promises of prosperity. Cikotok became the largest mining operation the colonial government ever possessed, continuing under the Indonesian Republic. After independence, the mine passed to NV Perusahaan Pembangunan Pertambangan and subsequently to PT Aneka Tambang in 1974.
The Cikotok mine ceased operations in 2005 when gold reserves were exhausted. Though the mine closed, Cikotok’s legacy continued through larger operations, notably Freeport in Papua.