The Indonesian government has suspended nickel mining in the Raja Ampat archipelago following public outcry and investigations that revealed environmental violations, including illegal mining on small islands and deforestation by several companies.

Raja Ampat, one of the world’s most biodiverse marine regions, is threatened by sedimentation, pollution and habitat destruction linked to mining, endangering coral reefs, mangroves and Indigenous communities.

Despite government claims that operations on one of the islands, Gag, are environmentally compliant, critics say inspections are superficial and driven by political and economic agendas, ignoring broader regional damage.

Environmental groups warn mining could resume quietly once the outrage fades, and urge the government to establish no-go zones to protect Raja Ampat, challenging rhetoric that frames local resistance as foreign interference. See All Key Ideas

JAKARTA — The Indonesian government has suspended nickel mining in the Raja Ampat archipelago, citing multiple environmental violations by companies operating in the ecologically sensitive islands.

The move follows viral social media posts highlighting the expansion of nickel mines and the attendant environmental degradation in the region famous for its picturesque islets and turquoise waters, spurring a public outcry and scrutiny.

Located in the heart of the Coral Triangle, Raja Ampat is globally renowned for its marine biodiversity, home to about 75% of the world’s known coral species — earning it the nickname of the “Amazon of the seas.”

But the archipelago now faces increasing pressure from Indonesia’s rapidly expanding nickel industry. The country is the biggest producer of the metal, a key component in the batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage applications.

The government has billed its nickel policy as a push toward building a clean-energy future. But critics argue that the rapid development of the nickel industry has driven deforestation and pollution on small islands like those in the Malukus, and warn that Raja Ampat will become the next victim of the government’s ambitions.

There are at least five companies with approved nickel mines in Raja Ampat: PT Gag Nikel (PT GN), PT Kawei Sejahtera Mining (PT KSM), PT Anugerah Surya Pratama (PT ASP), PT Mulia Raymond Perkasa (PT MRP) and PT Nurham.

Together, they control at least 25,424 hectares (62,800 acres) of concessions — an area nearly half the size of Jakarta that spans both land and marine zones in one of the world’s most biodiverse archipelagos, according to official data.

Mining has already commenced on three islands — Gag, Kawe and Manuran — polluting the environment and disrupting the lives of the Indigenous peoples there, according to Greenpeace. The group says that up to 8,775 hectares (21,684 acres) of intact forests are at risk of being cleared for nickel mining in Raja Ampat.

“Raja Ampat is in danger because of nickel mining on several islands, including in my village of Manyaifun and on Batang Pele Island,” said Ronisel Mambrasar, an Indigenous Papuan youth and member of an alliance of NGOs campaigning for environmental protection in Raja Ampat. “Nickel mining threatens our lives. It will not only destroy the sea that has sustained us, but it is also disrupting our once harmonious community.”

In the wake of the public uproar, at least three government ministries have launched investigations into the matter.

The Ministry of Environment sent a team to Raja Ampat from May 26-31, where it found that at least three of the companies had violated environmental laws, including a prohibition on mining on small islands, not having the requisite permits, and causing ecological damage such as sedimentation and forest encroachment.

Anugerah Surya Pratama

ASP is a subsidiary of PT Wanxiang Nickel Indonesia group, the local arm of a Chinese company that operates a nickel smelter in Morowali district in Central Sulawesi province. ASP holds a 1,173-hectare (2,898-acre) nickel-mining concession on Manuran Island. The island itself measures just 746 hectares (1,843 acres), which means a large part of the concession also includes the sea around Manuran.

The environment ministry has identified 109 hectares (269 acres) of deforestation for mining on the island, or 15% of the total land area.

“Because the island is so small, rehabilitation will be very difficult,” Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said at a press conference in Jakarta on June 8.

During the ministry’s inspection, officials found that a settling pond, used to remove suspended solids and pollutants from wastewater from mining activity, had collapsed due to high rainfall. As a result, the mining sediment polluted the island’s coastal areas, resulting in visibly murky coastal waters, according to an official document detailing the inspection’s findings.

“The company lacks environmental management systems, and environmental conditions are poor,” Hanif said.

In response to the findings, the ministry has put up signs at the mining site stating that all operations on the island have been suspended, Hanif said. The ministry will follow up by collecting environmental samples and consulting with experts to see if ASP has broken any laws, with legal proceedings taking up to two months to complete, he added.

“Due to signs of pollution, the company may face both civil and criminal enforcement,” Hanif said. “Manuran is part of a highly vulnerable ecoregion.”

The ministry is also reviewing ASP’s environmental permit. If found to have violated the relevant laws, its permit will be revoked, Hanif said.

Kawei Sejahtera Mining

KSM controls a 5,922-hectare (14,634-acre) mining concession on Kawe Island, and has to date cleared 299 hectares (739 acres) of land, including 5 hectares (12 acres) outside its concession boundary, according to the environment ministry.

Its mining activity has resulted in sedimentation damaging mangrove ecosystems and adjacent marine areas, the ministry found. If found guilty of illegal activity and environmental pollution, KSM could face administrative sanctions, including environmental restoration obligations, as well as civil lawsuits for clearing land outside its designated area, Hanif said.

Mulia Raymond Perkasa

MRP has a mining license for 2,193 hectares (5,419 acres) on Batang Pele Island and 21 hectares (52 acres) on neighboring Manyaifun Island.

However, the company doesn’t have an environmental permit or approval to operate in a forest area, given that the islands are zoned as protected forest area, Hanif said.

Yet despite not having these permits, MRP has started prospecting at several sites within its concessions, with the ministry’s inspection uncovering 10 drilling rigs and temporary worker encampments.

“Due to the early stage and absence of significant impact, we have ordered a halt to all activity,” Hanif said, adding it’s unlikely MRP will be allowed to resume mining.

“It seems like it’s going to be difficult for us to issue an environmental permit because open-pit mining in protected forest zone is prohibited,” Hanif said.

MRP is also subject to administrative sanctions and fines for operating without an environmental permit.

Gag Nikel

GN, part-owned by state-owned miner Antam, controls the entire island of Gag. Its concession area, 13,136 hectares (32,459 acres), is double the land area of Gag, which is only 6,500 hectares (16,000 acres).

Unlike the other islands in Raja Ampat with active mining concessions, government officials claim the mining activity on Gag hasn’t caused environmental damage — despite PT GN having cleared 187 hectares (462 acres) of land on the island, according to data from the environment ministry.

Tri Winarno, the mining chief at the ministry of mines, claimed that when he flew around the island by helicopter during a recent visit, he observed no sedimentation in Gag’s coastal areas

“Overall, there’s no issue with the mine,” he said.

Similarly, Elisa Kambu, the governor of Southwest Papua province, which encompasses Raja Ampat, who accompanied officials from Jakarta during the visit, said the mining operation on Gag Island appeared to be well-managed and compliant with environmental obligations.

He based this conclusion on the fact that the water around the island appeared clear.

“Even around the shipping port, the water is blue. So those reports [of environmental degradation] are hoaxes,” Elisa said as quoted by local media Kumparan on June 8, despite Greenpeace raising evidence to the contrary.

Nevertheless, mining activity on Gag Island has also been suspended pending a government inspection and review of GN’s permits.

Ahmad Fahrur Rozi, a commissioner of GN, said that the company operates in compliance with environmental regulations.

“So far, no regulations have been violated,” he said as quoted by Kompas.com.

Concerns over government claims

The government’s claims of minimum impact of nickel mining on Gag Island has raised concerns that mining will eventually be allowed to resume there.

Iqbal Damanik, senior forest campaigner at Greenpeace Indonesia, said the mining ministry appears to be downplaying the issue by focusing its investigation on Gag Island, but not the other islands with active concessions. He noted that the minister, Bahlil Lahadalia, had claimed GN is the only mining company in operation in Raja Ampat, despite the environment ministry’s preliminary investigation finding at least three active concessions.

Bahlil and his subordinates, including Tri, only visited Gag during their highly publicized trip to Raja Ampat.

“Our concern is that Minister Bahlil might declare the issue resolved after halting PT Gag [Nikel]’s operations, ignoring the broader problems,” Iqbal said.

Bahlil also downplayed the mine’s environmental impact by emphasizing its distance — 30 to 40 kilometers, or 19 to 25 miles — from popular tourist sites such as Piaynemo.

Iqbal said this implies that mining on the island is fine as long as it doesn’t disrupt tourism activity. Even so, that’s not the case, he added.

“Nearby, there’s Black Rock, one of the most renowned diving spots in Raja Ampat,” Iqbal told Mongabay. “So these mining activities are not far from tourist areas; they are within the tourist zones themselves.”

The area around the Gag Island is also rich in marine life, including manta rays (Mobula birostris), the largest in the world, Iqbal said.

“Conservation International conducted research mapping the migratory paths of manta rays, which pass through the mining concession areas,” he said. “The northernmost point is Wayag, followed by Gag, Kawe and Piaynemo. These manta rays travel from Piaynemo to Wayag, passing through the mining concession zones.”

That leaves these giant filter feeders vulnerable to the heavy barge traffic carrying nickel from the islands, Iqbal said.

He also questioned the government’s claim of no visible sedimentation around Gag, saying that when he visited the island last year, he observed significant sedimentation — an indication that environmental protection processes were being bypassed.

“I spoke with several current and former mining workers who acknowledged the presence of [settling] ponds along the edges [of the mining site], but they are shallow, less than 2 meters [6 feet] deep. So, during heavy rains, they overflow,” he said.

Like the mining ministry, the environment ministry also said it found no serious visible pollution on Gag Island. However, this is based on visual observation, as the environment ministry hasn’t conducted proper tests yet, according to Hanif, the minister.

Therefore, there’s still concern that the coral reefs around Gag, which can extend to a depth of 30 m (100 ft), may have been disturbed by the mining activity, Hanif said.

“Surface water may appear clear, but we need sampling before reaching conclusions,” he said. “While management looks good, sediment can easily settle on coral reefs [and thus] we will investigate further.”

Iqbal said Greenpeace had observed coral reefs dying due to the sedimentation from the nickel mining on Gag Island.

“Our diving team observed and photographed extensive coral reef destruction,” he said. “Coral reefs require sunlight for photosynthesis, so when they’re covered by sediment, they die due to the lack of sunlight.”

And like manta rays, coral reefs could also be damaged by passing barges carrying nickel, Iqbal added.

Regulatory compliance vs. legal contradictions

Even if there’s no significant environmental damage found on Gag Island, the fact remains that it’s a small island within the ecologically sensitive Raja Ampat, Hanif said. This makes any kind of mining activity on Gag potentially illegal, he said.

Small islands are off-limits to mining under a 2014 law on the management of coastal areas and small islands, Hanif said. This prohibition is backed by a 2022 Supreme Court ruling and 2023 Constitutional Court ruling that reinforced this blanket ban on mining on small islands, he said.

In its ruling, the Constitutional Court qualified small-island mining as an abnormally dangerous and ultra-hazardous activity due to the inherent threat it poses to life and ecological integrity.

“GN may operate well technically, but the fact it is on a small island means we must review its legality,” Hanif said.

The damage done from mining on small islands is also much harder to remedy than on the mainland, given the differing type of plant cover, Iqbal said.

“The vegetation on these small islands differs from that on larger land masses. The plants are smaller, and many aren’t classified as forests due to strong winds hindering growth. Therefore, reclamation on small islands is extremely challenging,” he said.

Foreign pressure

Another sign the government will allow nickel mining in Raja Ampat, or at least on Gag, to resume is a recent statement made by Bahlil, Iqbal said.

Responding to the mounting criticisms against the nickel mining expansion in Raja Ampat, Bahlil said the Indonesian government would continue developing the nickel industry as a driver of economic growth. He claimed other countries had attempted to hamper this growth through smear campaigns, such as by labeling Indonesian nickel as “dirty.”

“Not even an inch will I retreat from foreign pressure to pursue our downstreaming [nickel processing] agenda,” Bahlil said as quoted by Bloomberg Technoz on June 3 in Jakarta.

That kind of rhetoric, and the fact that 11 mining permits for the region are still pending, make it almost certain that Raja Ampat will not be spared from the nickel boom, Iqbal said.

The 11 permits were issued by the government in the past, and though dormant at present, could easily be reactivated by the government. That was the case for MRP’s concession on Batang Pele Island, Iqbal said.

“That’s what we’re worried about: once the public outrage dies down, the permits will quietly be reactivated,” he said.

It’s therefore important to monitor the process until the mining permits in Raja Ampat are revoked, Iqbal said. To ensure Raja Ampat is protected from nickel mining, the government should define a “no-go zone,” where mining and other environmentally destructive activities are strictly prohibited, he added.

Bahlil’s claim of foreign intervention echoes President Prabowo Subianto’s repeated rhetoric that any criticism of the government’s policies, especially by NGOs, is part of a “foreign agenda” that seeks to obstruct Indonesia’s economic sovereignty and development path.

Greenpeace and other environmental groups say these criticisms should not be dismissed as “foreign intervention,” since they amplify local voices long ignored by policymakers.

“This is the voice of Papuans — people from the same village as Minister Bahlil himself — so how could it be called foreign?” Iqbal said. “Greenpeace is simply amplifying the voices of Papuans [who] have protested many times, held hearings with the district head and the district council. So this issue didn’t just surface because of Greenpeace’s recent action — it’s a voice the people have long been raising, but no one would listen.”

Correction (10/06/2025): The article has been revised to update the size of nickel mining concessions in Raja Ampat based on official data.

Banner image: Deforestation caused by nickel mining of PT Kawei Sejahtera Mining in Kawei, a small island in the Raja Ampat archipelago, West Papua, Indonesia. Image taken in December 2024 by Auriga Nusantara.

FEEDBACK: Use this form to send a message to the author of this post. If you want to post a public comment, you can do that at the bottom of the page.

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Central Sulawesi Forum for the Environment (Walhi) is urging the government to stop nickel production at PT Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP). This is in line with the repeated occurrence of work accidents in the area. Most recently, a fire occurred in the nickel smelter furnace belonging to PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel (PT ITSS) which killed 12 people on Sunday morning, December 24, 2023.

“The government must not just remain silent. PT IMIP production must be stopped and give strict sanctions to PT IMIP,” said Head of Advocacy and Campaigns for Central Sulawesi Walhi Aulia Hakim in a written statement, Sunday, December 24, 2023.

Aulia asked the government not to just campaign for nickel downstreaming just for the sake of profits obtained without looking at the reality on the ground. “Lives have been lost, lives are miserable, due to the chaotic area,” said Aulia.

Before the indiscension at ITSS, Aulia said that on December 22, 2022 there was a similar work accident which claimed the lives of two workers, Nirwana Stele and Made Defri. Both died as a result of a furnace explosion in the nickel industrial area belonging to PT Gunbuster Nicek Industri, a large Chinese company operating in North Morowali district.

Then, on April 27, 2023, there was another work accident at PT Indonesia Guang Ching Nickel and Stainless Industry. The factory is also in the PT IMIP area. Aulia said that the incident killed two dumpling workers, namely Arif and Masriadi.

“Once again we see how workers are sacrificed in pursuit of profit alone, work accidents are caused by the provision of PPE or safety equipment that the company never complies with. “Additionally, arbitrary working hours regulations, chaotic work rotations, and uncontrolled equipment being operated, are the triggers for this accident to occur,” said Aulia.

Aulia said the central government and regional governments ignored the accident that occurred. The reason is, based on Walhi’s records, throughout 2022-2023 not a single company will be given strict sanctions for incidents that take away workers’ lives. On the contrary, said Aulia, the company gave sanctions to workers who demanded their rights.

“For example, the incident experienced by Minggu Bulu and Amirullah. They were both named suspects in the clash between workers on January 14, 2023. They became suspects in their activities advocating for the rights of other workers,” said Aulia.

Furnace Explosion Kills 12 People

As previously reported, a furnace explosion occurred at a nickel processing factory owned by PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel (ITSS), one of the tenants operating in the IMIP area. Head of the Media Relations Division of PT IMIP Dedy Kurniawan said the work accident occurred at around 05:30 WITA (Central Indonesian Time). The incident started when a number of workers were repairing the furnace and installing plates on it.

“The results of the initial investigation show that the cause of the explosion was thought to be because the bottom of the furnace still contained explosion-inducing liquid. During the repair process, an explosion occurred,” said Dedy in a written statement, Sunday, December 24.

Dedy said that at the location there were also many oxygen cylinders used for welding and cutting furnace components. As a result, he said, the first explosion caused several oxygen cylinders in the area to explode.

Dedy said the furnace fire was successfully extinguished at 09:10 WITA. The worker who was the victim was taken to clinics 1 and 2 of PT IMIP. According to information gathered from the IMIP Clinic as of 10:00 WITA, the number of victims was 51 people.

“Twelve of them died and 39 others suffered serious to minor injuries,” said Dedy.

The victims who died consisted of 7 workers from Indonesia and 5 foreign workers. He said that several of the deceased victims had been identified. “And at the request of the victims’ families, their bodies have today been flown to their respective hometowns,” he said.

ANTARA

Editor’s Choice: Nickel Smelter Furnace Explosion Kills 12 People, Wounds Dozens in Morowali

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News

Communities in Indonesia say they are bearing the brunt of an intensifying race to make our cars ‘green’.

As the push to switch away from polluting fossil fuels and go green with renewable technology becomes more pressing around the world, the popularity of electric vehicles (EVs) has surged. But now, rights groups say that the growth of this industry is wreaking environmental havoc of its own as well as harming local communities in Indonesia, the Philippines and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Demand for EVs was initially slow but orders have tripled in the past few years, with electric cars accounting for 14 percent of total car sales in 2022, up from just 4 percent in 2020, thanks to heightened environmental awareness and a wider choice of cars on offer to consumers.

The transport sector has long been a target for green activists as it contributes to one-sixth of global carbon emissions. But while sleek, battery-powered vehicles produced by companies like Tesla and Ford are being held up as a shining solution to this issue, the EV industry is harbouring a dark side of its own.

Reports from several rights groups in recent months have revealed how the increase in mining of crucial materials like nickel – the silvery-white metal used to manufacture EV batteries – is harming several communities and, ironically, causing environmental damage across Indonesia and the Philippines, which are home to the largest nickel deposits in the world.

Mining watchdogs have also sounded the alarm about damage caused by the mining of cobalt and coltan – also important for EVs – in the DRC.

How are communities being harmed?

Residents living near nickel mining sites on the island of Halmahera in the northern Maluku province of Indonesia say they are being coerced and intimidated by mining companies operating in the Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP), according to recent findings by Climate Rights International (CRI). The area, one of the largest nickel production sites in the world, is home to nickel mines and nickel-smelting plants which supply international EV manufacturers.

Advertisement

In a 124-page report released in January, CRI alleged that companies mining in IWIP often collude with the police to force landowners in nearby villages such as Gemaf, Lelilef Sawai and Lelilef Waibulan to sell their land or even to leave without any compensation at all. In some cases, community members, many of them farmers, say they have arrived on their land only to see tractors digging it up without their consent.

Some farmers who have contested unfair prices, protested land grabbing or outright refused to sell have reportedly received threats from the police and military. Since the construction of the park started in 2018, security officials have swarmed the area, residents say.

Large swaths of forests are also being cleared for mining in the region, the rights group found. CRI estimates that about 5,331 hectares (13,173 acres) of forest have been taken over for mining activities. Since trees store carbon, removing them means more emissions.

Last year, another rights organisation, Survival International, warned that about 300 to 500 groups of O Hongana Manyawa, or “People of the Forest”, in the area of the IWIP may be at risk of losing their homes if the ongoing deforestation continues.

Working conditions are poor, residents say. In December last year, an explosion at the Chinese-funded Morowali Industrial Park on Sulawesi Island killed 12 people and injured at least 39 others.

Besides that, polluted water is being channelled from the park into the river from which local people source drinking water. The resulting oily substance on its surface is now forcing fishermen from the nearby Sagea village to row further out to sea.

Furthermore, to power the enormous park, five polluting coal-fired plants, producing 3.78 gigawatts annually, have been installed, according to CRI. Members of local communities say the smoke from the plants is choking the air and causing breathing difficulties.

Why is nickel so important?

For decades, nickel was primarily used to produce stainless steel because of its durability and malleable nature. In more recent times, it has been used for the manufacture of car components such as wheels and bumpers.

But demand for the metal has skyrocketed since the push for renewable technologies, including EVs, has taken hold. The material forms the basis for lithium-ion batteries, which are used in electric vehicles. Demand for nickel grew by 41 percent between 2010 and 2020, according to the Nickel Institute, the global association of nickel producers.

Advertisement

Indonesia is positioning itself strategically for an EV-driven world. The country produced the highest amount of nickel in 202, contributing 48 percent of global supply, and outgoing President Joko Widodo’s administration has enforced policies banning nickel ore exports, essentially ensuring that nickel processors establish plants in the country.

Several large mining companies are pouring money into the sector. The IWIP, constructed between 2018 and 2020, is one of several nickel processing parks being developed across Indonesia. The park is a joint venture between Chinese companies Tsingshan Group, which has a 40 percent shareholding through its subsidiary Perlus Technology, Huayou Group (30 percent) and Zhenshi Group (30 percent).

French mining company Eramet has also partnered with Tsinghan and the Indonesian steel company, PT Antam Tbk, to manage the Weda Bay Nickel mine, which supplies nickel ore to smelting plants in the IWIP.

Separately, Eramet and Germany’s BASF have plans for a nickel and cobalt refining facility which is projected to produce 67,000 tonnes of nickel and 7,500 tonnes of cobalt annually in the IWIP.

Tesla sources nickel from Huayou and CNGR Advanced Materials, which partners with Tsinghan and which has been implicated in environmental pollution in Maluku as well as in the Central Sulawesi province, according to the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre. Ford and Volkswagen also source nickel from companies mining within the IWIP, CRI found.

Which other countries are affected?

Concerns about mining practices have been raised for some time in the Philippines, which is the second-largest producer of the metal and the leading supplier to China.

In 2021, Amnesty International reported that scores of people working on nickel mining projects on the Dinagat Islands were being hired without contracts and health insurance, despite the risky nature of their jobs and in violation of Philippine labour laws.

Companies mining in the area are mainly Chinese and Philippine and include Sinosteel (Chinese state-owned), Cagdianao Mining Corporation (Philippine), Oriental Vision Mining (Philippine and Chinese), Libjo Mining (Philippine and Chinese) and Century Peak Corporation (Philippine).

In the DRC, the mining of cobalt and coltan, which are also important components in rechargeable batteries, has forcefully displaced communities in mineral-rich areas such as Kolwezi in the southern Lualaba province, Amnesty International and the Good Governance and Human Rights Initiative (IBGDH) found in 2023.

The DRC has the world’s largest reserves of cobalt and is the seventh-biggest producer of copper, but those have not served the Congolese people much. The country’s economy is stagnant because of decades of conflict and poor governance. Primarily Chinese companies, in partnership with state mining corporations, are extracting minerals there.

Like nickel, global demand for cobalt and copper has also risen since mobile phones and other smart electronic gadgets like video game consoles became popular. A mobile phone battery typically contains about 7g (0.25oz) of cobalt and 16g (0.56oz) of copper. A fully electric bus contains 400kg (882lb) of copper.

Advertisement

What action is being taken to counter these issues?

There has been little official action.

In Indonesia, several advocacy groups have been protesting and lobbying against the vast IWIP mining project, but mining and refining processes are unlikely to be stopped there.

In its report, the CRI recommends that the government intervene and order all companies to cease intimidation tactics, as well as strengthen laws protecting local communities from the consequences of mining. The group also wants the main companies involved in IWIP to clean up polluted water sources, compensate local people for stolen land and switch to renewable energy.

As for the DRC, a 2009 initiative was set up by the International Tin Association and the Tantalum-Niobium International Study Center to help big buyers like Apple, Intel and Tesla trace and verify their supply chains. However, a 2022 investigation by investigations and advocacy group Global Witness found that despite this intervention, conflict minerals and those sourced from mines using child labour were still entering global supply chains.

Although Tesla was indirectly implicated in that report, the automaker comes third in a ranking of EV manufacturers based on responsible sourcing and fossil use. Ford and Mercedes-Benz top the list, while Toyota, Honda and GAC are at the bottom.

In the past, the 2010 US Dodd-Frank Act contributed majorly to reducing the supply of minerals sourced in the DRC’s conflict zones – so-called “blood diamonds” – by forcing companies to detail their supply chains.

Minister urges companies in Morowali improve eco-friendly operations

Related news: Minister warns smelter investors on safety after Morowali explosion

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Minister of Environment Hanif Faisol Nurofiq called on companies operating in the Morowali nickel industrial area to improve their operations to reduce practices impacting the environment and surrounding communities.”If the industry does not comply (with the regulation), the people will bear the consequences. I urge companies operating in this area to improve (their operation) immediately. We will not hesitate to impose sanctions on those who violate,” he noted in a statement on Friday.Nurofiq delivered this warning during his visit to the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) in Bahodopi, Central Sulawesi, on Thursday (May 29).Nurofiq visited several locations, including the Bahomakmur Landfill Site (TPA) owned by PT IMIP, a flood-affected area at PT ONI, and the PT ITSS smelter unit, which earlier experienced an explosion.At the Bahomakmur TPA, the minister observed an open dumping practice that posed a risk of polluting both soil and water.In the PT ONI area, the floodwaters are being discharged directly into the sea without sufficient waste management measures.Meanwhile, PT ITSS is recorded as having 26 stationary emission sources, but only some are monitored through the Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS).”This is not just about administrative violations. This is related to the lives, the future of the environment, and (the company’s) responsibility. The state will be present and be more firm,” he emphasized.After reviewing the industrial area, Nurofiq also visited flood-affected villages in Labota Village, Bahodopi Sub-district, which is adjacent to the company’s area.During the visit, he expressed deep concern over the environmental impacts experienced directly by the community.His side would issue a stern warning to companies found negligent in fulfilling their environmental management duties.”Compliance with the environment is not only a legal obligation but also our shared moral responsibility. Let us protect the land of Morowali to remain habitable and sustainable for future generations,” the minister remarked.

Translator: Prisca Triferna, Resinta Sulistiyandari

Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga

Copyright © ANTARA 2025

Nickel mining has been expanding in Indonesia’s Raja Ampat, fuelled by the world’s demand for EV batteries – but Indigenous communities are campaigning to protect their home and its critical ecosystem

He hangs in the clear water, studying the blue below. Then he tilts his body forward, reaching down and kicking steadily, long spear before him. Soon, his white fins are just faint flicking shapes in the deep. Lindert Mambrasar, freediver and fisherman, does this again and again. An hour later, one glistening fish and then two are pulled off the tip of his spear by his friends waiting in the boat. It is more than enough for supper tonight.

Lindert Mambrasar freediving off the coast of Manyaifun island, February 2025. Global Witness

Here, close to the shore of the island of Manyaifun and its sister island Batang Pele in the Raja Ampat archipelago, West Papua, the water is clean and the fish easy to spot. These thriving reefs have been called the “crown jewel” of the Coral Triangle – the name scientists have given this area of Southeast Asian seas that sustain the richest marine ecosystem in the world. Powerful currents and trade winds form where the eastern Indian ocean meets the western Pacific. They nurture manta rays, green and hawksbill turtles, dugongs, dolphins, sharks and more species of coral and coral reef fish than anywhere else on Earth. Scattered around 4.6 million hectares, Raja Ampat was awarded UNESCO ‘Geopark’ status in 2023 to celebrate and support its unique geology and culture. A network of marine protected areas cover more than 2 million hectares of its waters. Its landscape appears on the country’s highest-value 100,000 rupiah note.

After public pressure, on 10 June 2025 the Indonesian government revoked licences for four of the five mining companies operating in the archipelago. Local campaigners say they will keep up the pressure. They warn that it isn’t a complete ban – and that mining is taking place against the law on dozens of other small islands across Indonesia. In Raja Ampat there has been a rapid recent expansion. Land use for mining grew by almost 500ha (roughly 1,220 acres) from 2020 to 2024, according to analysis of satellite imagery by environmental NGO Auriga Nusantara. This is around three times the rate of expansion from the previous five years.

Lindert holds a nickel shard, one of many found on his community’s sacred beach, February 2025. Global Witness

Lindert and other members of the only village on Manyaifun island describe how, without warning, a team of surveyors turned up in October 2024. They employed a handful of local men to hack a trail through the forest covering the hills of both islands. The surveyors stayed for a month, but precisely what they found was never made clear to anyone they knew. A mining permit had already been issued by the head of the province in 2013 which a source says happened without consultation with the community. It had lain dormant. Then in mid-February 2025, just before Global Witness investigators visited, a group of people believed by Lindert and others present in the village at the time to be from Indonesian-owned company PT Mulia Raymond Perkasa, which owned the permit, arrived in a speedboat. Lindert believes that most people in Manyaifun are against mining. But the company had identified a few individuals who were in favour, he said, and held a closed meeting with them. Those who attended did not make those results known to the rest of the community. A few weeks after the closed-door meeting Global Witness was told that a patch of forest on Batang Pele had been cut down and three timber-frame buildings put up. A community source believes this was a base for deeper exploration of the nickel beneath the trees. Around the same time, a new 3,000ha nickel mining permit – an area almost 10 times larger than New York’s Central Park – appeared on the official Mineral One Data Indonesia government website for the nearby island of Waigeo – where rare birds of paradise are found.

The Wilson’s Bird of Paradise is only found in two locations in the world, both are in Raja Ampat. Michael Nolan/ Robert Harding / Getty Images

As fear among the island’s community deepened, they began to speak out. They depend on the ocean for fishing, its beauty to attract tourists and the land for food and fresh water. Lindert says there are two freshwater springs on the island and if mining were to come, he says, the mata air (Indonesian for “spring”), will become air mata (“tears”). West Papua is a former Dutch colony, ceded to Indonesia following an UN-endorsed referendum in 1969, which was criticised at the time for being unrepresentative. A strong movement of native Papuans still view the vote as illegitimate. The region is rich in resources – one of the world’s largest copper and gold mines is found here. Around 70,000 people live in the Regency of Raja Ampat, speaking around a dozen dialects. A community of seafarers and traders, life here is largely based on or beside the water. Our boat driver guides the boat towards a beach that the villagers on Manyaifun regard as sacred – and the men grow quiet. They believe the souls of their ancestors dwell in a ring of sacred stones in forest hills above. Lindert picks his way between the trees at the water’s edge until he finds the rocks he is looking for, scattered on the ground. “Nickel,” he says, picking a piece up. “If the company comes then these sacred sites will be lost. It will be just memories.”

Lindert Mambrasar and activist Max Binur from Belantara Papua survey the nickel-rich hills of Manyaifun and Batang Pele, February 2025. Global Witness

Indonesia produced over half of the world’s mined nickel in 2023, vital for EV production. Koiguo / Getty Images

The limestone karsts of Wayag, close to a nickel mining site on Kawe. Global Witness

Indonesia’s geology produces laterite ore deposits, which are found closer to the surface than deep sulphide deposits found in other countries such as Russia, Canada and the US. It is lower quality, requiring a lot of energy to process into high-quality nickel suitable for use in battery production. The most efficient way to mine it is through strip or “open cut” mining. In tropical climates, this usually means razing rainforest with chainsaws and excavators, before loading the topsoil onto dump trucks, and storing it in piles or pits. In the heat and wet the soil can run off as sediment into rivers and the ocean, leading to increased pollution, landslides and floods.

Trucks and diggers appear tiny in an active strip-mining site on Gag Island, December 2024. Auriga Nusantara / Global Witness

Marine biologist Dr Phillip Dustan, who has studied coral reefs since the 1970s, including Raja Ampat, tells Global Witness: “When you go into a nickel mine and you scrape off the top layer, the system bleeds. It not only bleeds sediment, but it also bleeds all the nutrients that are in the biomass… The sediments smother the soil, the nutrients foster the growth of organisms that are faster growing than coral and can outcompete the corals. It is an ecological disaster.” Studies have shown that coastal runoff is among the most damaging pollutants for coral reefs.

A man who travelled to this region more than 30 years ago, eventually making it his home, is known in the diving community as the “pioneer” of diving in Raja Ampat, Max Ammer. Drawn here from the Netherlands by the prospect of exploring the sunken wrecks of World War Two fighter aircraft, he stayed and worked with the community to set up the region’s first dive resort and the non-profit Raja Ampat Research and Conservation Centre. He calls the expansion of mining here “a very unwise idea”. An experienced pilot, he has spent years flying over Raja Ampat’s islands, including Manoram where nickel mining has been going on for decades. He says he has seen “miles and miles of coral smothered by sediment” off the island’s shores. “I’m not against mining – as humans need to use the materials – but I’m against mining in an unfriendly way.” He says he has never seen it being done properly in the Raja Ampat mines – he is particularly worried about how the ore is extracted and stored. “If you mine, you need hundreds of metres, if not several kilometres, between the coast and where you are doing things.” Over half of the world’s coral reefs have disappeared in the last 70 years as they suffer from overfishing, climate change, and some negative impacts of tourism. Almost half of all corals are at risk of extinction.

Deforestation and sediment spreading into the sea from Manuram island, December 2024. Global Witness

Tourism’s “lifeblood” economy Max’s concern for Raja Ampat’s natural environment is echoed by the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association, which in 2024 expressed alarm over the potential impact on tourism that the increased mining in Raja Ampat could have. The extraordinary biodiversity draws tourists visiting “homestays” as paying guests of Papuan families in a traditionally built home, whether a stilt house over the ocean or a bungalow on land. These homestays are mostly in places with limited electricity, showers, alcohol or roads, and where phone signal is patchy. The concept is fundamental to enabling island families to earn an income. It represents more than just money in the pockets of the hosts. The Raja Ampat Homestay Association states: “Homestays are our way to defend our land… we do not want to be bystanders or someone else’s workers.” In 2024 Raja Ampat attracted more than 33,000 tourists, according to Indonesia’s Central Bureau of Statistics. Their impact isn’t all positive. Dr Dustan says the reefs are already being battered by human effluent contamination. But nickel mining is a growing threat to what he calls “the coral reef economy” – and he sounds a warning. “Raja Ampat is the jewel of jewels,” he says. “You can’t destroy it… You’re not going to have a coral reef if you treat it the way it is. You won’t have an economy.”

A traditional ‘homestay’ in Manyaifun village, February 2025. Global Witness

Locals fear for Raja Ampat’s “last paradise” Manyaifun’s economy is based on the ocean. Forest-cloaked slopes fringe the cove where the only village is found. The water ripples with jumping fish and at night sparkles with phosphorescence. The fishermen leave each day before dawn and on their return, they meet a buyer who comes from the nearby port town of Sorong to buy their catch. He pays 40,000 IRP per kilo, which is just over USD$2. Locals say that on a good day, they catch around 50 kg. If the weather is bad, the boats can’t go out and the families earn nothing. People here also live from what they grow in their gardens – sago, sweet potatoes and bananas. Most families have a coconut garden, and a buyer comes from Halamahera to collect their harvest for processing into coconut oil for soap, lotions and cooking. Tourism offers additional income. The first homestay was created 15 years ago, now there are 10. Visitors from the US, EU and Russia come and pay around $40 a night.

A screen being made with local materials on Manyaifun, February 2025. Global Witness

“The Mamas” – the affectionate name for the women who run the household – Mary and Mina, have been preparing breakfast for homestay guests since 04:30. The room is hushed and dark, with the sun not yet up. A soot-blackened pot is suspended from a pole over the open flames. With practiced ease they prepare nasi goreng, Indonesian fried rice, and telur bumbu bali – spicy eggs. “I really, really hope that mining doesn’t come,” says Mary Mambrasar. “The ocean, the coral will be destroyed, I can’t imagine how we will live.” She gestures towards the back door which opens over a lagoon and then straight on up to the mountains. “And the water? It comes from the mountains and the mountains will be the first to go.” Outside, sitting at a wooden table on the edge of the beach, is Elias Meneri, from West Papua, who is training as a priest. He’s lived on Manyaifun for two years. He looks out across the water. “Here the sands are white, the water is clear, fish often swim up to the sand and touch our feet… Raja Ampat is called a paradise, and a paradise is supposed to be beautiful… if that beauty is taken away, what then?” “The fake energy transition” Indonesia is made up of almost 20,000 islands, and 99% of these fall under the category of “small islands” as defined by law, according to Forest Watch International. Law No. 27 of 2007 regarding Coastal Areas and Small Island Management includes a limit on mining on islands with an area of 2,000 km² (200,000 ha) or less. The Supreme Court upheld this ban in 2024 despite a challenge by a mining company. However, FWI found that 245,000ha of this land on small islands has been allocated to mining companies – covering 242 islands. In an interview in his offices in Jakarta, Imam Shofwan from the advocacy organisation JATAM wears a T-shirt with a slogan in Bahasa that he translates as: “Your electric vehicle kills us.”

Imam Shofwan’s shirt reads “Your EV kills us”, Jakarta, February 2025. Global Witness

They say this is the solution to the climate crisis. In the field we have found that this is the new coal Imam Shofwan, Jatam

“They say this is the solution to the climate crisis. In the field we have found that this is the new coal. They do open pit mining, and they are highly dependent on huge amounts of coal for processing… For us this is the fake energy transition.” Responding to the government’s apparent revocation of mining permits, Imam says: “It’s because of the strong pressure from the public, not because of the good will of the government.” He says that there are mining licences for 35 other small islands around Indonesia. “Other small islands are suffering from nickel mining in southeast Sulawesi: Kabaena and Wawonii island. In Wawonii the mine continues to operate even after the citizens won the case in the Supreme Court.” “We challenge the government to withdraw all those permits, not just the four in Raja Ampat.” Along with the sprawling Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) in North Maluku the largest nickel processing operations in Indonesia are the giant Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) in Central Sulawesi, along with Obi Island. Imam says that the Morowali and Weda Bay parks “have destroyed the land and the sea.” He believes that the same thing could happen to Raja Ampat. The mining companies There are five companies present in Raja Ampat: PT Gag Nikel has the active licence for Gag Island

PT Kawei Sejahtera Mining was issued the licence for Kawe

PT Anugerah Surya Pratama was issued the licence for Manoram

PT Mulia Raymond Perkasa was issued the licence for Manyaifun and Batang Pele

PT Nurham was issued the licence for Waigeo in February 2025

The shifting frontier Travelling by longboat around Kawe we see several dive vessels anchored close by. One of the prime locations here is “Eagle Rock”, which a recent study showed was a critical “superhighway” for the globally threatened reef manta ray.

A diver watches a reef manta ray at the ‘manta superhighway’ Eagle Rock, close to the Kawe mining site. Global Witness

The limestone peaks of Wayag are to the northwest. Tourists flock to see its emerald peaks with hidden lagoons and beaches, a landscape Max calls “mind-bogglingly beautiful.” Setting foot on Kawe’s deserted western shore, unbroken forest cloaks the slopes and white threads of waterfalls can be seen in the folds. Follow the coast around to the east side and mining’s impact is clear to see in the sharp line where the crest of a hill has been sliced off and the brown stain below it. The centre of the operation, focussed on Kawe’s slender waist, has almost sliced the island in two.

Seen from above, the mining is revealed, December 2024. Auriga Nusantara / Global Witness

The 5,992ha permit (23mi2 or 59.92km2), was larger than the island, extending over the reefs surrounding it. It was held by Indonesian company PT Kawei Sejahtera Mining (KSM) which was set up by a prominent – and controversial – figure in Papuan society and politics, Daniel Daat, and now appears to be run by his son John. The current licence was awarded in 2013 and would have been valid until 2033, though mining has been taking place since at least 2004. There have been reports of conflict between companies over ownership rights, and historic allegations of corruption.

Sediment smothers a coral reef beside Kawe during mining activity in 2008. Global Witness

Before the suspension of KSM’s licence in June 2025, mining on Kawe had been picking up pace. In October, the acting Governor of Southwest Papua, Mohammad Mus’ad, took regional journalists with him on a working visit to the Kawe mine to discuss how local people can be employed. He was accompanied by the Deputy Commander of the navy in Raja Ampat, Colonel Mar David Candra Viasco. KSM is backed by powerful interests. It counts among its directors retired Vice Admiral of the Indonesian Navy and ex-Governor of Papua, Freddy Numberi. The President Director of KSM and a shareholder is a prominent figure in the Indonesian property industry, Ali Hanafia Lijaya. Media reports have linked Lijaya to a controversial 30km-long fence illegally installed in the sea just west of the Indonesian capital Jakarta, allegedly to pave the way for a major development. The scandal is currently being investigated by police. Lijaya denies involvement. According to internal company documents, the ore mined on Kawe was taken to be processed in Morosi, Konawe Regency in Southeast Sulawesi, which primarily produces nickel for the stainless-steel industry. Kawe’s bay used to be a rich fishing ground, but we heard testimony from local people that the fish have now disappeared.

Sediment leaking onto the coral reef as nickel barges are loaded in Kawe bay, December 2024. Auriga Nusantara / Global Witness

Drone footage obtained in December 2024 by researchers working for local NGO Auriga Nusantara and Global Witness shows a slick of sediment flowing from a new pontoon with two mooring facilities. Internal company documents confirm that this “terminal” is large enough to accommodate two 10,000 tonne barges, the size of vessels often used in Indonesia in shallow areas as short-haul transport to take their cargo to a larger vessel or directly to a processing centre. The Gag Island mine Gag Island is just a few kilometres outside the Raja Ampat Marine Park. It is around 6,000 ha in size, and the mining permit is 13,136 ha, larger than the island itself and extending over the reefs surrounding it. It is operated by PT Gag Nikel, a subsidiary of the state-owned diversified mining company PT Aneka Tambang (Antam). The quantity of nickel ore estimated to lie beneath its protected forest is significant. According to Antam’s 2024 Annual Report, it is estimated to contain almost 40m dry tonnes of nickel ore reserves. Originally a joint venture between Antam and BHP Billiton, operations began in 1998. They paused in 2000 after the Indonesian government banned open pit mining in forests designated as protected, which included those that cover the hills of Gag Island. After pressure from industry, there was a Presidential decree three years later which exempted the Gag Island mine from the ban.

Gag Island’s forests are protected, but an exemption was given for mining, December 2024. Auriga Nusantara / Global Witness

But after years of operational delays and opposition by environmental and human rights campaigners, BHP Billiton pulled out in 2008. PT Gag Nikel started operations in 2018. In October 2024, Antam, through its subsidiary Gag Nikel, bought a 30% stake in a Weda Bay smelter owned by PT Jiu Long Metal Industry, a subsidiary of the giant Chinese corporation Tsingshan Holding Group, the world’s biggest nickel producer. Greenpeace International warned at the time that this deal would speed up the extraction of nickel on Gag Island. Tsingshan produces high-grade nickel matte – a key precursor in the production of battery-grade nickel. It has agreements to provide nickel matte to Chinese battery materials maker CNGR Advanced Materials, which in turn supplies global EV companies. In June 2025 the Indonesian government exempted PT Gag Nikel from the permit revocation. Choking Raja Ampat’s mangrove forests The intricacy of the tropical ecosystem in Raja Ampat means that the importance of the environment to the communities extends not just to the sea and the land, but to the in-between – to the mangroves that fringe many of the islands. Mangrove forests perform an extraordinary array of tasks, keeping rising seas at bay, and protecting the land from storm surges. They are nurseries for fish, and they are powerful absorbers of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However more than half of the world’s mangroves ecosystems are “at risk of collapse” according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Healthy mangrove forest close to Friwen island, February 2025. Global Witness

There is a base for mangrove conservation efforts in Raja Ampat on the island of Friwen, close to Cape Kri. Here one of the world’s most renowned marine biologists spotted 374 fish species on a single dive, celebrated by many as an unofficial record. Sitting cross-legged on the floor of his office porch, Steve Wawiyai describes this as “base camp.”

We tried to do mangrove restoration in Gag Island, but the sedimentation had already covered the mangrove and the coral – the mangrove cannot live, there is constant sediment runoff Steve Wawiyai, Coastal Friends Association

He set up the non-profit organisation Raja Ampat Coastal Friends Association (Kawan Pesisir Raja Ampat) in 2018, which uses satellite data to map existing mangroves in Raja Ampat – and where they have been lost. Wawiyai sees nickel mining as a key threat. “We believe that 60% of the mangroves around Gag and Kawe have been destroyed.” “We tried to do mangrove restoration in Gag Island, but the sedimentation had already covered the mangrove and the coral – the mangrove cannot live, there is constant sediment runoff.” On a visit to Gag Island in June 2025, the Director General of Mineral and Coal (Minerba) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Tri Winarno, said that “there was no sedimentation in the mining area.” Steve criticises the construction of the jetty in Kawe, saying that there were mangrove forests all around the bay, but they were cut down to allow ships to land with heavy machinery. “The people in Raja Ampat really need the fish,” he says, “they depend on the mangrove.”

Loesye Ermy Fainno, February 2025. Global Witness

The mangrove is a complete food source – crabs live there, fish, there’s the fruit of the plant. It is a symbol of life for us Loesye Ermy Fainno

Steve’s wife Loesye Ermy Fainno, helps with the conservation work: “For the Mama, the mangrove is a kitchen – it’s like going to the market, but for free. The Mamas have the responsibility to provide food for the family. The mangrove is a complete food source – crabs live there, fish, there’s the fruit of the plant. It is a symbol of life for us.” She shakes her head: “No mining … If the ecology dies, we die too.” Selfiana Manggaprouw, a social worker working with Coastal Friends says, “For us Papuan women we live by the sea – and must protect the sea. “People are sleeping… We are helping them to wake up and see the future. They need to understand early. We must protect our land.” Smelting for the energy transition, fuelled by coal Along with nickel extraction, processing operations are also closing in on Raja Ampat, with plans advancing to create Papua’s first nickel smelter. There is a $5 billion Chinese-backed project to build a smelter alongside a steel manufacturing plant in the regional town of Sorong. Chinese-owned PT Sheng Wei New Energy Technology has committed to building the smelter, while a second Chinese investor, Beijing Jianlong Heavy Industry Group has committed to constructing the steel plant. The 500-ha site will be in the “Sorong Special Economic Zone.” Local investigators in Sorong say that people have started to see job adverts for positions connected to the project. It will be “a new history” – according to the Stainless-Steel Council of China Oron and Steel Association. The organisation, a sub-association of the China Iron and Steel Association, declares on its website: “The Sorong Special Economic Zone will introduce the world’s most advanced nickel processing technology – oxygen-rich side blowing furnace technology (OESBF). The nickel processing plant will produce high-grade nickel matte, with a planned capacity of 160,000 tonnes… The products are planned to be exported to the United States, Europe and other markets.” The Chinese-developed OESBF technology is a new way to process laterite nickel, with the first facility in IWIP developed by CNGR Advanced Material becoming operational in 2024. A second smelter opened in 2025 in Pomalaa, Southeast Sulawesi, jointly owned by Antam and CNGR Advanced Material, to supply nickel matte, which is more valuable to the EV industry. The claim, which is difficult to verify as it is such a novel technology, is that it uses less coal, produces no toxic waste, and results in nickel matte. However, the process does still rely heavily on coal, which West Papua is rich in. Indonesian company PT Megapura Prima Industri operates a mine close to Sorong.

Piles of coal waiting to be transported out of the SEZ, February 2025. Global Witness

We drive past a “Welcome to the Sorong Special Economic Zone” sign, east of the city, and through the land where the infrastructure will be built. Currently it is mostly covered by forest, and vivid green vegetation, with some farms. Cement, palm and coal are already here. A palm oil refining tower is visible, and there are piles of coal by the side of the road waiting to be transported. Local media reports say the Chinese-backed smelter project is supported by the local government of Southwest Papua and will create some 3,000 jobs. In May 2024 local media carried reports showing handshakes between the heads of three companies forming a consortium to advance the building of smelters: PT Malamoi Olom Wobok, PT Huahe Management Indo and PT Sino Consultant Investment Indo. A key figure in the project is Adriana Imelda Daat, the Director of PT Sino Consultant. From West Papua, she is the daughter of Daniel Daat, the founder of PT Kawei Sejahtera Mining, which held the concession to mine Kawe. In the Special Economic Zone, there is a small port where passenger ferries leave. From the pier it is possible to see a cargo ship docked at one of two larger ports to the south. According to a local source this is where nickel vessels would arrive and depart.

The view towards the SEZ southern dock where nickel ore could be shipped, February 2025. Global Witness

Also planning to invest in the Special Economic Zone is Indonesian company PT Trinitan Green Energy Metals. The company says that the “site is secured and partners chosen” to build a battery-grade nickel processing park called the IGNITE Ecopark and provide “Class 1 Nickel ensuring global industries meet their clean energy goals.” Class 1 is nickel with at least 99.8% purity. The company suggests that the source ore will come from Papua, highlighting the “+400m tons of Papua’s nickel resource.” It states that it aims to produce 50,000 to 100,000 tons of Class 1 nickel per year. While ground has yet to be broken, progress could be rapid. Driven by the ban on raw nickel exports, the number of Indonesian nickel smelters increased from a handful in 2014 to more than 50 in 2024. Rise in nickel-based shipping There has been an explosion in shipping activity around the two largest nickel-based industrial parks, Weda Bay (IWIP) and Morowali (IMIP). New analysis by C4ADS reveals the average number of vessels anchoring within IWIPs port area per year increased by 1,620% in the four-year period before and after the January 2020 ban. For IMIP, the increase was 163.93%.

Perilous cargo Nickel ore cargoes are seen by industry insurers as a serious hazard. It has been called “the world’s deadliest cargo” by experts because of its ability to shift from a solid to a liquid state under certain conditions. This can happen gradually, or without warning, and the risk is heightened during wet seasons when cargoes stored in open areas are exposed to rain. A 2018 report by Norwegian marine insurance provider, Skuld, highlights poor standards of nickel ore shipping in Indonesia, saying that shipper’s obligations to ensure safe passage are “very rarely complied with” with certificates “often forged.” This can have serious consequences for the environment. When a nickel barge near Morowali ran aground and spilled 7,000 metric tonnes of nickel ore in 2021 official figures from the Ministry of Maritime and Fisheries (KKP) indicate it damaged more than 2,000m2 of coral reefs.

We heard that the impacts of nickel industry shipping in Raja Ampat are already being felt. We travelled to the Fam Islands, which are made up of four main islands and several smaller ones. Between two of the islands, tucked into a calm lagoon, is a neat line of five wooden bungalows on stilts over the water. This is a homestay with space for 18 people. It’s full from December to February. At first glance, this is an idyll. But sitting at a table under the shade of some coconut trees, Yahya Sawyai, whose brother owns this homestay, holds up his phone and shows us the route that ships take on a map. The main shipping lane from Sorong to Gag Island passes the nearby island of Penem. This also means proximity to the vessels’ noise and vibrations. Yahya says he has seen vessels carrying heavy machinery to the mine on Kawe. He says they disturb the habitat, driving away fish and dolphins. “It’s intrusive, it upsets the fishes that are there… They’ve got to find food, but then there’s the sound of those large boats.”

Yayah Sawyai fears for the future of the Fam Islands, February 2025. Global Witness

A former student of Government Studies, Yahya has lived away from Fam, in Sorong and in Java. Several generations of his family have remained here. They used to organise the fishermen in the area and collect their fish and sell to a buyer in Sorong. He claims that since the huge ships started passing by the catch has been dropping. They must fish further away, which uses more fuel. “The only choice is to stop the mining so we will not be facing this situation,” he says. “If we don’t reject it today then we will live with the consequences later.” Yahya makes the same claim that we heard on other islands. No one from a mining company came to speak to the islands’ communities about the impact.

Sounds that come out of ships can be incredibly loud Sophie Nedelec, marine biologist

Sophie Nedelec, a marine biologist from the University of Exeter, has spent more than 15 years studying the impact of noise pollution on coral reefs: “The sounds that come out of ships can be incredibly loud, and they can propagate incredibly far – sound transmits better underwater than it does in air.” She describes how it makes sea creatures extremely stressed and has an impact on how they develop throughout their lifecycle, for example by removing their ability to learn defence mechanisms and lowering their reproduction rates.

A thriving Raja Ampat reef; its inhabitants are vulnerable to noise pollution. Global Witness

She describes the expansion of nickel mining in Raja Ampat as “really upsetting.” “Noise is something that I try to use to bring hope into the scenario because it’s a pollutant that we can limit at a local level as a way of increasing the resilience of life on the reef,” she says. “So, we really don’t want to be going in this direction.” Sophie also highlights the impact that climate change and coral bleaching are already having on the once-resilient reefs. Climate solution for whom? The island of Mutus is one of those places most vulnerable to climate change. Approaching from the sea, the flat disc of green looks too small to be inhabited. Lozenge-shaped, it covers less than a square kilometre. Boats slip past a line of heavy blocks close to the shore, each the size of a refrigerator – protection for the narrow strip of sand and houses built right up to its edge. While nickel is key to the transition away from humanity’s dependence on climate-heating fossil fuels, the people here don’t want their island to be a casualty in the decarbonisation race. The man who speaks for the island’s 100 families, some 500 people, is their chief, Martillus Demarra. He was born on this land and has lived here all his life.

Martillus Demarra is the chief of Mutus island, February 2025. Global Witness

“We already feel the impact of climate change,” he says. “The weather is unpredictable. Sometimes we get more fish, sometimes less… If the government says nickel is the solution for climate change, we believe it’s rather contradictory.” He believes that among his people, it will only create more victims. “We must oppose the mining,” he says. “If it happens, we will lose our lives.” Echoing the other people we have spoken to in Papua, Martillus says that no one from any mining company came to talk to him.

The people of Mutus depend on the ocean, February 2025. Global Witness

We don’t need electric cars… What do we use here? We use oars! John Warmasen, regional religious leader

On the day we speak, a regional church convention happens to be taking place in Mutus. We meet John Warmasen, a regional religious leader. His voice is barely audible over the rain, but the message is clear: “We live in small islands; we don’t need electric cars … What do we use here? We use oars!” He says that the impact of mining on the sea and the land lasts “a long time – thousands of years. It’s not like we can just flip it like we flip our hands. It’s not something that we can hocus-pocus out of, and we’ll be done with it the next day.” He calls on the existing companies to provide more work opportunities “to let the locals in, so they can benefit.” He and Martillus say that only three people from Mutus work in the Gag Island mine. As for new mines opening, he says: “The government must respect the rights of people in Raja Ampat. It’s not just about human rights. It’s about customary and Indigenous rights. It’s not about people versus the company. It will be people versus people if mining comes… If the government doesn’t respect Indigenous and customary rights, there will be a big conflict.” Coercion and community consent Max Binur founded the grassroots environmental campaigning organisation Belantara Papua. In an interview in his office in Sorong, he tells us that he has watched the tactics of mining and logging companies for decades. He sees a model of how they try to split a community. In general, the majority won’t want mining, but usually there are one or two people “who make deals with the companies on behalf of the community and permit them to enter their land, but generally the community does not accept.” A company will then use “state enforcers and security” to “coerce the community into agreeing to the company’s entry into their area.” At the same time, it has become harder for anyone to oppose these impacts. This is partly because of the controversial pro-business Job Creation Law, known as the “omnibus law”, that was passed in 2020 despite mass street protests in Jakarta and other locations in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi. The omnibus law is designed to stimulate growth through deregulation. It rewrote more than 70 existing laws and expands the concept of projects of “national strategic importance.” The omnibus law has weakened the requirement for companies operating in Indonesia to consult those who may be affected. This is despite Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) being an internationally agreed principle under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and accepted industry standards such as the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance. Responding to the revocation of mining permits, Max said: “Permanent closure is not certain, because there will definitely be regulatory changes in Indonesia. Our advocacy continues to be to close the mining permanently in Raja Ampat.”

Recommendations Global Witness worked with Satya Bumi and Belantara Papua to develop a list of recommendations. To the Indonesian government Policy actions Clarify why the ruling of the Indonesian Supreme Court in 2024 banning mining on small islands is not being adhered to, and why the limits on mining placed by Law No.27 of 2007 regarding Coastal Areas and Small Island Management is not being followed

Immediately stop issuing new nickel mining permits in West Papua

Immediately pause/stop all mining activity in Raja Ampat: designate it a ‘no go zone’

Review Article 162 of the 2020 Mineral and Coal Law which allows criminalization/reprisals of communities who defend the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as mandated by UN Resolution A/RES/76/300

The Provincial Government of Southwest Papua is urged to promptly issue the recognition of Indigenous peoples’ status, carry out the mapping of customary territories, and designate West Papua as a customary region in order to protect it from exploitation efforts, as mandated in the Ministry of Home Affairs Regulation on the Recognition and Protection of Indigenous Peoples 2014 Restorative actions Act immediately to minimise pollution from existing mining activities by requiring the companies to ensure sediment from deforested areas and during transportation does not enter the sea

Immediately seek to remedy the environmental damage already caused, for example by replanting mangrove areas around Gag and Kawe islands

Conduct an open audit and publish the results of the audit on pollution identified in this report, as mandated by the Environmental Protection and Management Law of 2009 (Article 63.1 and Article 71); the Government Regulation on Environmental Protection and Management of 2021 (Article 527.1 and Articles 567–570); and the Mineral and Coal Law of 2020 (Article 96D).

If proven to have committed violations as revealed by the open audit, impose administrative and criminal sanctions on the nickel mining companies in Raja Ampat as stipulated in the 2009 Environmental Protection and Management Law and the 2020 Mineral and Coal Law. Preventive and future actions Ensure transparency regarding any future expansion in Raja Ampat and across West Papua, including the awarding of new licences, making that data accessible to local communities, and guaranteeing that Indigenous communities are accorded Free, Prior, Informed Consent as required by international law.

Act immediately to minimise pollution from existing mining activities by requiring the companies to ensure sediment from deforested areas and during transportation does not enter the sea

Provide clear shipping data on the route taken by mined nickel ore to processing facilities

Improve the supply chain transparency and traceability of the nickel industry by requiring extraction data to be provided by all private companies

Require all financial institutions to conduct robust environmental and social due diligence before approving financing for nickel projects, in line with OECD guidelines. To EV companies and battery manufacturers Demand that nickel suppliers stop sourcing nickel ore from Raja Ampat

Fully audit mining sites in addition to the processing operations to ensure they are respecting human rights and the environment impact and supply chain audit

Increase transparency about EV supply chains by providing public information about all companies in your supply chain engaged in mineral mining, refining, smelting, and battery production

Use purchasing leverage to require all upstream suppliers to adhere to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance and halt sourcing from companies that fail to prevent or remediate environmental harm or human rights abuses

Ensure that all nickel sourced from Indonesia is fully compliant with the OECD responsible minerals guidelines and UN business and human rights guidelines

Demonstrate steps taken to verify that nickel in the supply chain is not linked to environmental degradation, human rights abuses or climate damage To Indonesian financial institutions, banks and international investors and financiers In line with the UN Guiding Principles and OECD Guidelines, conduct enhanced due diligence

Immediately suspend financing to projects that violate FPIC or have unresolved environmental or social harms, until full human rights and environmental due diligence is conducted, independent assessments are completed, and effective mitigation and remediation measures are in place

Condition future investment on robust FPIC, EIA, and human rights standards being met International Partners Group (IPG), including EU, US, Germany, Japan, UK, France, responsible for the JETP The EU and other JETP partners must ensure that no climate finance or investment frameworks under the JETP are used to support or enable nickel mining or smelting projects that are powered by coal, harm Indigenous communities, or violate environmental safeguards. All JETP-related funding should be conditional on robust FPIC, independent EIAs, and public transparency.

The G7 countries are urged to consider Indonesia’s legislation before deciding to invest, including the fact that human rights and environmental protection regulations remain weak To the European Commission (DG Trade) Condition any future trade agreement (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)) with Indonesia on demonstrable compliance with human rights, Indigenous land protections, and environmental safeguards in the transition minerals sector

Include enforceable clauses on due diligence and grievance mechanisms for supply chains of critical minerals under CEPA

Conduct open CEPA Monitoring with Indigenous peoples and civil society groups. Ensure a Human Rights Dialogue that binds the Indonesian Government to improve governance of critical mineral mining To the Chinese government The Ministry of Ecology and Environment and Ministry of Commerce of China should rigorously monitor and guide Chinese companies’ ESG performance overseas, to ensure that they are in line with the 2022 “Guidelines for Ecological and Environmental Protection of Overseas Investment Cooperation and Construction Projects” (‘the 2022 Guidelines’) Adopt law and regulations, requiring Chinese mining companies to conduct robust ESG due diligence aligned with international standards (e.g., UNGPs, OECD Guidelines) to identify, prevent, and mitigate risks of human rights abuses, environmental harm, and unethical business practices

Require companies operating overseas to establish effective community consultation and grievance mechanisms to uphold the right of affected communities to Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)