DOI : https://doi.org/10.18517/ijaseit.15.1.20095

Mercury Exposure Impact to The Environment and Community Health from Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in North Musi Rawas District, South Sumatra Province, Indonesia

Ummi Jayanti (1), Marulak Simarmata (2), Atra Romaeda (3), Budi Kurniawan (4), Bieng Brata (5), Faiz Barchia (6), Wied Wiwoho Winaktoe (7)
(1) Natural Resources Doctoral Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Bengkulu University, Bengkulu, Indonesia
(2) Natural Resources Doctoral Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Bengkulu University, Bengkulu, Indonesia
(3) Natural Resources Doctoral Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Bengkulu University, Bengkulu, Indonesia
(4) National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor, Indonesia
(5) Natural Resources Doctoral Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Bengkulu University, Bengkulu, Indonesia
(6) Natural Resources Doctoral Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Bengkulu University, Bengkulu, Indonesia
(7) Land and Water Management, UNESCO-IHE, Westvest 7, 2611 AX Delft, Netherlands
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[1]
U. Jayanti, “Mercury Exposure Impact to The Environment and Community Health from Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in North Musi Rawas District, South Sumatra Province, Indonesia”, Int. J. Adv. Sci. Eng. Inf. Technol., vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 89–95, Feb. 2025.
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Mercury is a toxic and hazardous substance used in illegal gold mining activities to extract gold through the amalgamation method, which can contaminate the environment and harm public health. This study aims to determine the mercury levels in the hair of artisanal gold miners and small-scale miners in Suka Menang Village, Karang Jaya District, North Musi Rawas Regency. The research was conducted from August to December 2023 at an unauthorized gold processing site in Suka Menang Village, Karang Jaya District, North Musi Rawas Regency, South Sumatra Province. Data collection used a purposive survey method, combining qualitative methods with a structured questionnaire. Miners were selected based on their involvement in and proximity to small-scale gold mining activities. All miners were directly involved or related to illegal mining activities, although some were only occasionally involved. The study samples included at-risk community members and well water samples. The results show that small-scale gold mining activities in Suka Menang Village have led to mercury contamination in well water, river water, and among the miners. As many as 66.1% of respondents had mercury levels above the threshold set by USEPA, which is 1 µg/g. The study also found that the best strategies to prevent environmental damage and contamination from small-scale gold mining activities are (1) continuing mining activities without using mercury, accompanied by zoning for special mining management in one area, or (2) shutting down or dissolving the activities and facilitating profession shifts.

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