Illegal gold mining in Dimembe threats local environment, economy

Illegal gold mining activity in the Dimembe area of the Minahasa regency in North Sulawesi is threatening the local environment and economy, according to a senior official of the Minahasa administration.

Joppy Manoppo, deputy of the Minahasa regent, said that there's been a process of poverty creation among the farmers, the largest population of the Dimembe area, by the illegal mining activity.

Joppy pointed out that the used of around 2 tons of mercury daily had become a serious threat to the environment and the local agriculture products.

He was quoted by the local Manado Post daily as saying that that mercury was a toxic material, which would scare people to buy the agriculture products from Dimembe.

He said that the government must intensified efforts to limit the activity of illegal gold mining and the use of mercury in the mining process. (*)