Sustainable development taking root in mining sector

Sustainable development taking root in mining sector

Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government has introduced a strict regulation to ensure
that the operation of natural resource-based companies such as
oil and gas producers and mining companies would not cause a
serious damage to the environment.

Although many companies operating in the mining sector have
often ignored the environmental regulation and have been blamed
for causing environmental destruction in their mining sites, the
awareness among them has been very encouraging.

Major oil producers and mining companies have, for example,
allocated a large amount of funds for reclamation or
rehabilitation programs to comply with the sustainable
development program introduced by the government.

PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara (PT NNT), which operates a massive
gold and copper mine in Batu Hijau on Sumbawa island, spends
between US$1 and $5 million on reclamation projects per year.

The reclamation funds are used mostly to finance the
preparatory work for reclamation that includes re-contouring the
land and developing a nursery to provide tree seedlings.

At least 50,000 tree seedlings are processed by PT NNT's
nursery each year to meet the reclamation needs in the disturbed
areas within the company's mining area.

Since it started operations in 1976, PT NNT has cleared some
1,400 hectares of forest area for mining, of which 630 hectares
has already been reclaimed. "We implement reclamation projects as
soon as possible and do not wait for mine closure," said PT NNT's
environment manager Grant Battarham.

Reclamation projects started during the construction period in
1977 and will continue throughout the life of the mine and after
closure, he said.

Grasses and native tree species like Rimas (Duabanga
molucana), Binong (Tetrameles nudiflora) and Bungur (
Lagerstromea speosa) were planted on areas disturbed during the
construction of mining company, areas no longer in use and waste
rock dumps, making the areas look green.

The trees not only speed up the revegetation process but also
protect the water system, contain erosion and restore wildlife
habitats. "Binong trees are a safe place where endangered
cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea parvula) live," Battarman said.

Based on the current Mine Plan, PT NNT will complete
reclamation in 2037.

In collaboration with local and international non-governmental
organizations (NGOs), PT NNT is also actively engaged with
rehabilitating local beaches with mangroves.

Like Newmont, gold and copper producer PT Freeport Indonesia,
which operates a massive gold and copper mine in Timika, Papua,
has regular reclamation and rehabilitation programs even though
final closure of the overburden areas still several decades away.

Freeport has replanted on more than 69 hectares of cleared
land in the highland and planted some 8,500 plant species in the
tailings deposition area in 2004.

Following the success of planting 8,500 plan species, Freeport
continued with its reclamation programs. It planted some 1,000
coconut trees, 900 plants of various native tree species and
1,500 casuarina trees.

Freeport spent US$72.7 million on sustainable development
program in its mining operation in 2004. Part of the funds were
used to finance environmental management projects that include
reclamation and rehabilitation of cleared land.

To ensure that reclamation projects run effectively, Freeport
conducts intensive research on the condition of the land, local
plant species and ecosystems. Based on the research on the land,
Freeport can determine the right reclamation programs for
highland and lowland areas.

Based on the study, native bacteria is used to enhance moss
establishments at the final placement areas of final overburden
in the highlands. "We also use tissue culture techniques and
conventional cutting methods to develop large-scale propagation
that resulted in a 95 percent survival rate of 135,000 propagated
plants, comprising more than 20 species of native alpine plants,"
said Freeport Indonesia's senior manager for corporate
communication Siddharta Moersjid.

Siddharta said that reclamation programs in the lowlands were
designed to transform tailings deposits in the Modified Deposit
area into an agricultural or other productive land use or to
return it to native vegetation after mining is completed.

"The lowlands are suitable for growing many agricultural
crops, such as pineapples, melons and bananas," he said.

Vegetables and grains like chili peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes,
rice, string beans and pumpkins can also grow well in the
lowlands, he said.

Even though the land affected by the oil operation is not as
large as that by gold, copper or coal mining, oil companies like
PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia (CPI) is also committed to the green
environment.

Caltex, a subsidiary of U.S.-based Chevron Texaco, operates in
Riau province, with 107 active oil fields and 6,569 production
wells. The company's operation sites covers an area of 25,500
square meters.

Caltex rehabilitation programs focused on land disturbed by
drilling activities and operating sites like gathering stations
and oil processing plants.

"Each area affected by drilling activity is around 100 square
meters on average but unless it is rehabilitated, it will be
detrimental to the environment," said Caltex's manager for
corporate communication Harry Bustaman.

Trees have been planted on former drilling areas and areas
around operational sites. "With trees growing around the
operation sites, employees can work more comfortably because when
working outside, they can avoid heat by working under the trees,"
he said.

Apart from replanting projects on drilling areas and operation
sites, Caltex also conducts other re-greening projects in
cooperation with local forestry agency.

The seedlings were provided by local forestry agency, while
local people were involved in the re-greening projects as part of
its efforts to promote awareness of a green environment among the
people, he said.

Tree-planting projects were implemented in several districts
in the Riau province, like Rumbai, Minas, Mandau and Dumai, in
conjunction with the commemoration of World Environment Day or
Earth Day.

"Trees were planted on the edge of roads to prevent from the
landslides when it rains," he said, adding that the tree-planting
projects started 20 years ago.

Meanwhile, gold mining company Kelian Equatorial Mining (KEM),
which operates in Kelian, Linggang Bingung Sub-district, Kutai
Barat Regency, East Kalimantan, is currently engaged in
rehabilitating former mining sites as part of its sound mine
closure programs.

KEM commenced production in 1992 and ceased its production in
February of this year.

KEM's ex-mine site will be converted into a protected forest
and will be monitored in a comprehensive and sustainable manner,
said www.keliangold.com.

KEM obtained a mining concession area of 6,670 hectares in the
Kelian forest. The area affected by KEM's mining and production
activities is approximately 1,192 hectares.

Up to the end of 2004, the rehabilitated area reached 1,016 ha
or 85 percent of the 1,192 ha used area. Dozens of local plant
species are used in the rehabilitated programs, including pioneer
and primary plants, such as Meranti (Dipterocarpaceae), Ulin
(Eusideroxylon zwageri), Sungkai (Peronema canescens) and
Bengkirai (Shorea leavis).