President calls for actions to ban use of mercury in traditional gold mines

Petromindo|Dasir

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has asked his ministers to take measures to ban the use of hazardous mercury by traditional gold miners in the country.

According to information obtained by Jokowi, mercury is being used in 850 traditional mining hotspots. ?Not only that it (mercury) is hazardous to the health of 250,000 miners, but will also affect the health of their family members particularly children,? Jokowi said at the opening of a limited cabinet meeting on the issue Thursday as quoted by the Cabinet Secretary in a statement.

The statement said that the president has instructed the cabinet team and related institutions to immediately take actions to end the use of mercury including by revamping the small-scale traditional miners, tight supervision in the import of mercury, and intensifies campaign among the traditional miners on the danger of mercury.

?During a visit to Maluku three weeks ago, I have instructed the National Police Chief to end the use of mercury at the Gunung Botak gold mining area. It has been stopped,? Jokowi said.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak