Metals are a non-renewable resource. They are getting harder to find; the high grade mines are exhausted. Yet modern societies – especially in the global North - want more of them all the time. The high price of gold constantly leads to new mines. The energy transition requires mining a vast range of new metals. Windmills, smart phones, and electric vehicles contain nickel and ‘rare earths.’ Mining these creates toxic wastes and moon-like for-ever landscapes.
The last metal mines on earth are low-grade deposits – large and dirty. Most are in the global South, where a history of imperialism has left behind governments that are often authoritarian and corrupt. Canadian investigative journalist Christopher Pollon calls them ‘sacrifice zones - landscapes destroyed for the sake of benefits delivered somewhere else.’ The consequence is conflict. ‘The biggest bottleneck in metals supply over the coming decades,’ he predicts, ‘will … be the conflicts around environmental, social, and governance issues.’
This monster edition of Inside Indonesia edited by Gerry van Klinken and David Efendi looks at the ‘bottlenecks’ in Indonesian metal mining. They are right now causing a huge debate among citizens.
Can civil society think?
Written by David Efendi
About religions destroying the earth
Resistance at Tumpang Pitu
Written by Wahyu Eka Styawan
Why do people reject this gold mine?
It's heaven here
Written by Jhe Mukti
How caving taught me to love the Trenggalek hills, and hate the mine
‘Life is good here’
Written by Yayum Kumai
Mountain villagers in Trenggalek protect their springs against mining plans
‘Far East Gold’ in Indonesia
Written by Gerry van Klinken
A backgrounder on a little Aussie miner with a colonial name
Sacrifice zone
Written by Mahesti Hasanah and Gerry van Klinken
Nickel mining and state capitalism in Kolaka, Southeast Sulawesi
From the dust of Morowali
Written by Jiahui Zeng
Nickel boosts ‘east coast’ politics in Central Sulawesi
Ecocide for nickel
Written by Bapthista Mario Yosryandi Sara
Why is this happening to Obi Island?
Cooperate or compete?
Written by Lian Sinclair
Could Indonesia and Australia make EV batteries together?
Empire, mining and our bodies
Written by Fathun Karib
The resource frontier is… our own body!
Review: How to really stop a mine
Written by Gerry van Klinken
