Earth containing nickel ore being loaded on Halmahera island in eastern Indonesia. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
JAKARTA (AFP): The Indonesian government has allowed a nickel mining company to resume operations in an eastern archipelago, a minister said on Sunday, despite an outcry over damage it could cause to pristine islands.
The cluster of islands and shoals in Southwest Papua Province sits in the Coral Triangle and is thought to be one of the world's most pristine reefs, with its clear blue waters making it a popular diving spot.
