Forest rangers closing an illegal gold mining tunnel on Nov 20, 2025, during an operation in Mount Halimun Salak National Park in Sukabumi regency, West Java. - kompas.com
JAKARTA: The Riau provincial government plans to legalise thousands of hectares of illegal gold mines to bring the activity under formal regulation and limit environmental damage.
At least 30 mining blocks covering 2,655ha across seven districts in Kuantan Singingi regency will be granted the so-called community mining permits, allowing people to mine the areas legally.
Kuantan Singingi Regent Suhardiman Amby said the move was part of an effort to organize and control small-scale gold mining, which provides a livelihood for many residents.
“The licensing framework will be regulated through a gubernatorial decree. These formal permits are expected to improve the welfare of local communities while ensuring environmental protection and workplace safety for miners,” Suhardiman said on Tuesday.
Under the planned regulation, individual miners will be allowed to operate on a maximum of five hectares, while cooperatives will be permitted to mine up to 10 hectares, he said.
In addition to limits on land size, the use of mercury and mining equipment will be restricted. Each miner will be allowed to operate only one heavy machine and one mining raft. To promote more sustainable mining practices, permit holders will be required to restore or reforest mined land once the permit expires.
Miners will also be required to post a reclamation guarantee of Rp 150 million (US$ 8,800), which will be forfeited if they fail to carry out land restoration after mining activities end.
Riau Governor SF Hariyanto said the planned regulation had received approval from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, which issued a ministerial decree in 2024 to provide a legal framework for community-based mining in the province.
He added that small-scale mining in Kuantan Singingi must be urgently brought under control to safeguard the Kuantan River, a vital water source for the province that supports around one million people.
The river has long been polluted by illegal gold mining, which uses hazardous chemicals such as mercury in the extraction process.
“Licensing is the most effective way to address illegal mining in Kuantan Singingi. Legalization will ensure that mining can continue without compromising the cleanliness or water flow of the Kuantan River,” Hariyanto said.
He stressed that the community mining permit scheme in Kuantan Singingi is designed to ensure small-scale mining benefits local communities rather than large investors. The permits will be issued only to local residents, not to private companies or major corporations, and only in designated areas.
“Under this scheme, illegal small-scale mining will be transformed from secretive operations into open, regulated and sustainable activities. It will strengthen local economies, create jobs and generate revenue for Riau through taxes,” he said.
Hariyanto added that fees and taxes from community mining will be reinvested to restore areas damaged by previous illegal mining.
He said a special team has been set up to fast-track the drafting of the decree to legalize small-scale mining, with the goal of issuing the regulation as soon as possible.
In recent years, the government has been considering legaliing illegal community-based mining to curb accidents and environmental damage, as the practice continues to thrive despite law enforcement efforts.
In June last year, the energy ministry issued Regulation No. 14/2025, which legalised independently managed community-based oil wells and established a framework for cooperation with the upstream oil and gas industry including with the state-owned oil and gas holding company Pertamina.
Herry Permana, Deputy Assistant for Mineral and Coal Development at the Coordinating Economy Ministry, said in December that regulating illegal gold mining could follow the model used for previously illicit oil and gas wells.
“If it works for oil and gas, it should work for coal and other minerals. We could allow four years for the issuance of community mining permits. We cannot simply impose a strict crackdown, as it would also eliminate local jobs,” he said on Dec. 10, 2025, as quoted by Bisnis.com.
In addition to Riau, the energy ministry is also planning to grant community mining permits for around 301 blocks of small-scale gold and sand mining in West Sumatra, covering a total area of 13,400 ha. The permits are scheduled to be issued this month, ministry officials said. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
