23-7-2023 (JAKARTA) What seems like a tourist paradise hides a dark secret. Lombok’s volcanic hills conceal gold deposits, turning it into one of Indonesia’s largest gold mining hotspots. But the miners rely on mercury to extract the gold, poisoning themselves and contaminating the island.
Mercury exposure can cause irreversible health damage and death. Yet miners like Faturahman see no alternative, as they lack knowledge of mercury-free techniques.
His son was born with deformed intestines after Faturahman’s mercury exposure. “The doctor taught me how to treat him…Only I and my wife can carry out the procedure,” he said.
Local doctor Teguh sees patients with symptoms suggesting mercury poisoning. “There are indeed patients who have symptoms suggesting poisoning,” he said. “I’m very concerned because I also have a young child.”
In Sekotong district, nearly 50 children with birth defects have been recorded since 2018. But mercury illness here remains undiagnosed due to limited testing.
Researcher Adriana Ekawati is conducting biomarker testing, finding that all 10 initial subjects exceeded safe mercury levels. Gold miner Faturahman’s reading was 12.7 times the limit, his son Nazil’s was four times.
The air around Faturahman’s mill contained 8,657 nanograms of mercury per cubic metre, above evacuation levels.
Mercury from waste water, burnt vapour and contaminated food is spreading through Lombok’s communities and environment.
Indonesia is the world’s second largest emitter of mercury from informal mining, yet a thriving illicit domestic mercury trade supplies miners.
The government aims to phase out mercury use by 2025 as part of its Minamata Convention commitments. But enforcement is weak due to official complicity in the trade.
Alternatives like cyanide extraction have been introduced but require huge quantities of ore, lengthy processing times and permits.
Experts believe strong international regulations targeting mercury supply chains could help wean miners off the toxin. But for now, Faturahman must mine more gold to pay for his son’s surgery. “Though this is the state we’re in, I’ll do my best to keep my son healthy,” he said.
