ESDM Says Given Mining Permit Will Not Experience Spatial Changes
WEST PAPUA DAYA - Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) stated that the mining permit that has been granted will not undergo spatial changes based on Law no. 2 of 2025 concerning Mineral and Coal Mining.
"There (the Minerba Law) stated that the permit that has been granted will not change spatial planning," said Director General of Mineral and Coal (Minerba) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Tri Winarno while accompanying the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia in visiting Gag Island, Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua, as reported by ANTARA, Saturday, June 7.
He made this statement when asked about the decision of the Constitutional Court Number 35/PUU-XXI/2023 which prohibited mining activities in coastal areas and small islands.
The Constitutional Court emphasized that mineral mining in these areas can cause irreversible damage, violating the principles of environmental hazard prevention and intergenerational justice.
Tri said it was open to discussing the rules.
In addition, Tri explained that PT GAG Nickel initially operated under the Work Contract scheme. GAG Nickel is one of 13 Work Contracts which the Forestry Law prohibits activities in protected forests.
"So, the work contract which was later the Forestry Law for protected forests included 13 families who received exceptions," said Tri.
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Previously, Minister Bahlil temporarily suspended GAG Nickel's operations on Gag Island to follow up on public complaints.
He said that to ensure that all procedures were adhered to by the inspection team of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources had been dispatched to the field.
GAG Nickel has a type of licensing in the form of a work contract registered in the Mineral One Data Indonesia (MODI) application with license certificate number 430.K/30/DJB/2017 and mining permit area 13,136 ha.
According to Bahlil, GAG Nickel is the only company currently producing in the region.
The work contract (KK) of Antam's subsidiary was issued in 2017 and began operating a year later after pocketing an analysis of environmental impacts (amdals).
"There are several mining permits in Raja Ampat, maybe five. Now, only one is operating now, namely GAG. GAG Nickel has Antam, BUMN," said Bahli.