The production and prospecting of gold in Sumatra

The production and prospecting of gold in Sumatra

By Bambang Budi Utomo

BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung (JP): The original name of Sumatra, as
found in folk tales or history books, is "Gold Island". In
ancient times the island of Sumatra was indeed famous for its
gold mines. The term ameh (gold) is found in Kaba Cindua Mato
(what's this?) from Minangkabau, West Sumatra. In Lampung
folktales the name Tanah Emas (gold land) is mentioned. I Ching,
a Buddhist priest from China, spoke of Chin Chou (gold country).
The Arabs referred to it as Sarandib, a transliteration of the
Sanskrit name Suwarnadwipa, meaning gold island. Another Sanskrit
name for Suwarnadwipa is Suwarnabhumi (gold land). In various
inscriptions Sumatra is known by the name of Suwarnadwipa or
Suwarnabhumi.

One of the oldest narratives on Buddha, Jataka, relates the
voyage of Indian sailors to Suwarnabhumi. In the Ramayana epic
written by Walmiki in 150 B.C., we read about the search for Dewi
Sinta, Rama's wife, abducted by Rahwana, to Suwarnadwipa.
Periplous tes Erythras Thalasses, written in Greece in 70 A.D.,
mentioned Sumatra by the name of Chryse nesos (gold island).

Gold has always been an important commodity and has led people
to search over great distances. In the Old Testament, mention is
made of King Solomon who built many ships in Ezion-Jeber, near
Elot on the shores of the Edom Sea. The king once sent an
expedition to Ophir together with King Hiram's ship crew. The
expedition returned with 420 talents of gold (1 talent = 26
pounds). The gold was handed to King Solomon. King Hiram also
brought sandalwood and gems from Ophir. In 945 B.C. King Solomon
sent ships again to Ophir to look for gold.

The exact location of Ophir is not known, but is thought to be
in Africa or Asia. Ophir is known as a region rich in gold. This
region is considered as an area of gold dominated by King
Solomon. In West Sumatra there is a mountain called Ophir to the
west of Lubuk Sikaping. Its summit, called Talakmau, (2,912
meters above sea level) emerges from the high plateau of Pasemah.
Another mountain top of that plateau is named Nilam. To the east
of Ophir there is another mountain called Gunung Amas (Gold
Mountain) with an altitude of 2,271 meters.

Relations of the kingdoms of David and Solomon were not
limited to Palestine, Syria and Egypt, but extended to Southeast
Asia. Egyptian sailing vessels reached Sumatra, followed by
Syrian ships. They came to look for gold, pearls and spices. They
also went into gold mining in cooperation with local inhabitants.
Mount Ophir or Ophaz was an area where King Solomon acquired gold
to send to Palestine.

Remains of the mines can be found in many places in Sumatra,
such as Logas in the province of Riau. In this region one finds
the upper course of the Teso, Segati, Mamahan and Nilo rivers all
of which empty into the Kampar river. The region still yields
gold and is inhabited by Syrians originally from Logas.

According to Joao de Barros (1496-1570), Camoes in Luisaden
used the name of Samatra for Sumatra island. People thought that
Mount Ophir was on the island. King Solomon used the riches he
got from the mountain to build a palace, places of worship and
other buildings. De Barros also said that in 1520 and 1521 an
expedition was sent to Sumatra to look for gold in Ophir which
was also called King Solomon's gold region.

Gold was generally found in alluvial and river sediment
containing the metal. Such gold is called placer and originates
in rocks found in an elevated region such as a mountain. The
rocks erode and the gold is carried by water to lower sites where
it gathers on a plateau.

Manuel Godinho de Ereda, a Portuguese traveler who visited
Sumatra in 1807, reported on gold panning activities. Every
morning a group of inhabitants of the Kampar kingdom sifted sand
from the Sunetrat river (Dareh River). They were able to get gold
granules the size of seeds or small fish scales. Bigger pieces
were obtained from the soil of wells dug on the river bank. When
the soil dried the chunks of soil disintegrated and the gold was
exposed.

Gold was also mined in ancient times, although the method was
more difficult and complex. The usual method was by making a
tunnel, a well, a ditch, and a number of dams. To pulverize and
grind primary gold containing rocks, a jar made of andesite stone
was used. The crusher was made of the same stone. To collect the
gold, normal panning was applied.

William Marsden, an Englishman visiting Sumatra from 1771 to
1779, reported on gold mining activities in the Minangkabau
region. Depending on its origin gold ore is categorized into two
groups: supayang or primary gold and sungai abu or secondary
gold. According to estimates by the inhabitants of Minangkabau,
there were more than 1,200 gold mines in 1700. The tools used for
mining were mainly crowbars, shovels, sledgehammers to crush
rocks containing gold, and stone jars attached to a rope for
pulling it out of the tunnel. Water was then used to separate the
gold from the finely crushed quartz.

Before 1840 much gold was mined around the Abu and Talang
rivers, a tributary of the Pantuan and Bergoyo rivers. The mining
activities slowed in 1840. The gold was found in slate and was
generally close to quartz excavations. To sift the excavated
dirt, a complex watering system was made with many dams on
mountain slopes. Soft slate found near the quartz excavations was
collected and put into the water channel. The clinging clay that
resulted was again mixed with the water. The mixture was then
washed down stepped channels until the heavier gold granules
separated from the lighter clay.

Soft slate and the attached clay is excavated from 75-meter-
wide, 10-meter-long and 1 to 10-meter deep pit. The cross-section
of the channel was in the form of a "U". The river wall is
fortified by chunks of quartz and slate. Two walls parallel to
the cavity in the middle were often filled with stones and later
used as water channels. Water was supplied by a complex system of
dams, aqueducts, drains and ditches.

Non-profitable

Locals have stopped mining because the gold reserves are
depleted and the government has banned their activities. The
government ban on gold mining is aimed at saving the environment
which is devastated by mining activities. The miners do take heed
of the danger of landslides either.

Open pit gold mining is not profitable. The yield is not worth
the energy or the expense.

There are still many prospective gold producing regions in
Sumatra at the exploration as well as exploitation stage.
Inhabitants of South Tapanuli in North Sumatra spend their free
time panning for gold in the Natal and Gadis rivers around
Hutanopan and Muarasipongi. The rivers have been dammed and the
gold panners remain in the water the whole day sifting for gold.
They find gold granules the size of sand and sometimes pebbles.
Panning earns them an average of Rp 250,000 a month.

People living near the Batanghari river in Jambi also have
gold fever. But in Jambi they search the river when the water is
low. They splash water on the dry river banks to wash away the
dirt. If lucky they may discover gold ornaments, like those found
in Koto Kandis, and melted gold.

Kings exploited Sumatra's gold for their needs in the past.
Today, traditional gold panning still exists at some locations in
the island's interior. An alluring offer to job seekers but
damaging to the environment.