Laut Island to be closed to mining operations

The Kotabaru regency administration in South Kalimantan is determined to bar mining companies from entering Laut Island despite the fact that several mining companies had received contracts from the central government to develop mining resources in the area.

"We are determined to make Laut Island closed to mining operations," regent Sjachrani Mataya was quoted by local daily Kapos as saying.

He said the police aimed at protecting the island's environment and the 200,000 people living on the island from pollution.

He said the regency administration would ask all mining companies, including small-scale mining companies, to move their operations to outside the island.

He said the regency administration had allocated the Batulicin, Satui and Sarongga areas, located outside Laut Island, for small-scale mining activities.

He also called on big mining companies, including PT Arutmin, to release some parts of their contract areas to small-scale miners as part of the measures to end illegal mining activities on Laut Island (*)