Illegal miners to be put in order
Tuesday, September 12 2000 - 03:30 AM WIB
The head of the Central Kalimantan mining office, Adbul Fatah Yoesoef, vows to stop or put in order illegal mining activities in the province so that it could reduce mercury pollution level to rivers flowing in the province.
"We will put them in order so that mercury pollution in our rivers could be contained," Abdul Fatah said after attending a hearing with the Central Kalimantan Legislative Council's joint commission.
He explained that one of the ways to put illegal miners in order was to encourage illegal miners to form a group, or a cooperatives. And only such a group and cooperative would be licensed by the mining office to do mining.
When they have formed groups, it would be easier for the mining office to supervise their mining activities, including in using mercury to cleanse their gold alluvial.
Abdul Fatah said that many miners did not realize the danger of mercury. "They even conduct gold cleansing using mercury in the place where they also do cooking."
He said that his party had coordinated with other 15 related parties to contain mercury pollution in the province. (*)