Listen to the snoring frogs: learning to take care of nature from NHM
The sun had gone down. But we still had to “review the mining area”. I saw, the moon had not shined its beauty. The twilight drizzle moments before still left the ground wet. That evening, our schedule might be delayed, but the plan should not change.
“That’s okay. We’re postponing dinner. Now let’s review the mine site first. There’s a light there, right?” said Doni Monardo, President Commissioner of MIND ID, LLC, during a visit to the gold mine of Nusa Halmahera Minerals, LLC (NHM), in Gosowong, Halmahera Island, North Maluku, mid-July 2022. He indicated there would be a slight change in the plan.
For information, though, Halmahera Island is east of Sulawesi Island. At first glance, the shape of Halmahera Island is similar to the Sulawesi Island (Celebes). Gosowong is in North Halmahera Regency. Therein lies the location of the gold mine managed by the NHM. The mine operates based on the Contract of Work with the Government of Indonesia signed on 28 April 1997. The majority of the NHM’s shares are owned by Indotan Halmahera Bangkit, LLC (75%) and the remaining 25% is owned by Aneka Tambang, LLC (Antam).
Before going to Gosowong, Doni Monardo’s group had to wait for more than two hours at the Sultan Babullah Airport in Ternate. In fact, two yellow PK-OC Airfast helicopters were already parked at the end of the apron on the left side of the airport. The group was supposed to fly to Gosowong from Sultan Babullah at 14.00 WIT (Indonesian Central Time).
Weather conditions (e.g. strong winds) in general prevent choppers from flying. In aviation, wind speed is indeed a significant consideration. If the wind speed is above 34 knots, small body aircraft are not allowed to fly, including helicopters. But soon after the wind speed reduced significantly, the Airfast crew immediately went for the flight preparation.
Boarded the first helicopter included Doni Monardo, Police Inspector General (Ret) Martuani Sormin (Commissioner of MIND ID), Basar Simanjuntak (Director of Human Resources of Antam), Toto Nugroho Pranantyasto (Director of Indonesia Battery Corporation-IBC), Anando Hendra Setiawan, (Director of FENI HALTIM, LLC).
The distance from Ternate’s Sultan Babullah airport to Gosowong is less than 100 km. The Airfast dragonfly reached that distance in less than 30 minutes. Doni and his entourage were picked up from the helipad of the mining area by the head of Mining Engineering (KTT) of the NHM, Amirudin Hasyim, alongside the company’s managers.
SNORING FROGS
Now back to Doni’s evening, if night, visit to the NHM’s mining area. A former commander of Kopassus 2014–2015, Doni indeed puzzled almost everyone there, including the NHM’s board of directors, as they looked at each other, half dumbfounded.
“What do we want to see in this darkness?” someone whispered, surprised. Indeed it was dark we all saw, as I indicated at the beginning of this note.
After a short talk, Doni said, “Now put your belongings in the room. After that, we gather here to start the visit.” Several units of mining operational vehicles, 4x4 SUV types, were soon ready. They dashed away from the mine “residential and office” areas into the darkness of the night. The destination was the tailings location.
Tailings contain a combination of fine grains (usually deposit size in 0.001–0.6 mm). This solid stuff is a remaining substance after the precious metals and minerals extracted from the previously mined ore, together with the water used in the recovery process. At the tailings area, Doni got off his vehicle and walked away from the car park.
Less than an hour, the group returned to the location of the first arrival, where another meeting was held with NHM officials. Inside the meeting room, a variety of dinner menus were served.
After taking a spoonful of rice with a side dish of fish and vegetables, Doni suddenly asked, “Did anyone notice what sound we heard at the tailing location?”
“Snoring frogs …,” said several people at the same time.
Doni laughed and replied, “That’s right. So I don’t have to see the condition of the mine during the day to figure out whether the mining process in Gosowong is correct. (I see) no toxic waste or hazardous ex-mining materials. The quacking frogs prove that the mine site’s ecosystem is well preserved and has recovered well.”
Several people seemed to stop shoving spoons into their mouths and stared at Doni Monardo, listening to his words. “According to information from the NHM workers, there are still many snakes at the mine site. And, the management forbids anyone from killing snakes. If they break this rule, they will be punished,” said Doni.
The animals are a real indicator of the good or bad of an ecosystem. “If the tailings location is toxic or contains hazardous waste, I ensure there will be no frogs and snakes coming near. Just like river water. If there are no fish, that is a sign that the river water contains toxic waste.
“Once, a short video was circulating in an area where many sweeper fish (suckermouth catfish) were found dead. We know that this type of fish is a hardy one. This means that there is fatal waste in the area,” said the Head of the 2019–2021 BNPB.
FAMILIAR WITH MALUKU
A 1985 Military Academy graduate, Doni said he was very familiar with the Maluku and North Maluku islands. Because for more than two years, he served there as Commander of Kodam XVI/Pattimura (2015–2017).
The history of the NHM dates back to 1994 when Newcrest Mining Ltd., a mining company from Australia and Antam, LLC, formed a joint venture to find gold deposits in Halmahera Island. In the same year, the joint venture succeeded in processing gold deposits in Gosowong.
Then Newcrest and Antam jointly established PT Nusa Halmahera Minerals, which was followed by the signing of a Joint Contract of Work with the Government of Indonesia in April 1997. Soon after, the first gold product was produced from the Gosowong open pit in July 1999.
Currently, NHM manages a working area of 29,622 hectares in North Halmahera. The open pit mining system at the Gosowong Gold Mine has ended. Lately, the pattern of mining activities contains and combines two approaches. They are Kencana and Toguraci, by combining underground mining methods: underhand/overhand cut & fill and long-hole stoping.
In early 2020, Indotan Halmahera Bangkit, LLC, led by Haji Robert Nitiyudo Wachjo, took over the majority ownership of the NHM from Newcrest Australia. With the new management with Indotan, the NHM is increasingly productive. The company now also actively contributes to the improvement of community empowerment. For this endavor, they actively involve residents in the area around the mine.
“Therefore, community strikes or demonstrations since 2020 have been relatively under control. Because, I know Pak Haji Robert is a very committed person. For example, during the Covid-19 pandemic, he did not reduce the workforce at all. In fact, he did not cut the rights of workers at all. I know exactly because I was the head of the Covid-19 Task Force then. His contribution to controlling the pandemic was extraordinary,” said Doni to Haji Robert.
While enjoying the night in the interior of Gosowong, Doni Monardo had an interactive dialog with the management of the NHM, Antam, and other group members. Doni firmly asked MIND ID’s subsidiaries to imitate the mining management run by Haji Robert, especially in managing waste and engaging with the surrounding community.
Doni was impressed by Haji Robert’s motto: “mining with heart”. No wonder the workers experience what they have never experienced before. They feel “humanized”. During the pandemic, Haji Robert even distributed bonuses.
Haji Robert’s goodwill also reached out to the community through the “care for four tribes around the mine” program. The four indigenous groups are the Pagu, Madole, Boeng, and Towiliko tribes. They praise Haji Robert as a person who significantly cares for local culture and wisdom. If in 2021 each tribe was allocated CSR funds of IDR 1 billion, in 2022, it is projected to increase 100 percent to IDR 2 billion.
To Doni, the NHM does not only provide welfare to employees but also cares for the surrounding community’s welfare. “This is the right thing to do,” said Doni Monardo.
Time flew as discussions flowed. The clock pointed to 23.00, an hour to midnight. Doni asked the group to rest. The following day, they were heading to Tanjung Buli to visit other mining locations, which are still under the auspices of MIND ID, LLC. (*)
Egy Massadiah’s note on Doni Monardo’s night inspection at the Gosowong Mine, Halmahera
