Supported By Deputy Governor Emil Dardak, Trenggalek Regent Asks Governor Khofifah To Review Gold Mining Permit

Trenggalek Regent M. Nur Arifin (center)/DOC via Antara

TRENGGALEK - Trenggalek Regent Mochamad Nur Arifin will write to the East Java Provincial Government requesting a review of the gold mining permit for PT. Sumber Mineral Nusantara (SMN). The reasons for gold mining are not visible to the socio-cultural and ecological conditions of the area.

"We will formally write to the East Java Provincial Government to revoke the issued permits," Regent Nur Arifin said in Trenggalek as quoted by Antara, Sunday, March 14.

In the official letter sent, Arifin will convey his aspirations and all his reasons for refusing gold mining in Trenggalek to the Governor of East Java Khofifah Indar Parawansa.

There are several considerations that the Trenggalek Regency Government and residents are firmly against gold mining, especially on a massive and wide scale.

In addition to the lack of transparency regarding the results of the feasibility study of mining during the exploration period, the mining concession area that was granted by the East Java Provincial Energy and Mineral Resources Office to PT. SMN, according to the Regent, intersects with protected areas, production forests, community settlements, and karst landscapes and ecosystems.

The regent who is familiarly called Gus Ipin emphasized that the plan to open a gold mining area was not in accordance with his vision and mission and program, namely making Trenggalek skyrocket, meaning that the people's economy was progressing, the people were creative, and the ecosystem was maintained.

Nur Arifin rejected the plan to exploit gold mines in his area by PT. Sumber Mineral Nusantara (SMN) on the grounds that it collided with many regulations.

Apart from that, said the Regent, it is not in line with the regional spatial plan and is not visible to the social conditions of the area, which the majority have rejected since exploration.

Mining business license (IUP) Number P2T/57/15/02/VI/2019 was granted to PT. Sumber Mineral Nusantara to carry out gold mining production/exploitation activities in Trenggalek.

The exploitation permit is valid for 10 years from 24 June 2019 to 24 June 2029 with a land area of 12,813 hectares.

According to the IUP, the gold mining maps that PT. SMN can exploit are spread across nine sub-districts, from Watulimo, Kampak, Munjungan, Dongko, Gandusari, Karangan, Suruh, Pule, to Trenggalek city.