Eight mines have currently been proposed, several have already begun exploratory work. Critics of the gold mines contend that the mining threatens the ecology of the park and the Komodo dragon, listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.
"Komodo dragons live here (and only here) and the national park together with the dragons, coral and fish are integral for what little tourism they get here. The entire community in the state relies on income generated either directly or indirectly from this area," a local source said. "The locals here don’t want the mine but are powerless to stop it. They have attempted a blockade but to no avail."
The Komodo dragon is endemic to a small number of Indonesian islands. Photo by: Rhett A. Butler.
The local government and members of the national government have argued that the mine is far enough away not to impact the park.
"I’ve visited the site of the mining company," Forestry Minister M.S. Kaban told the Jakarta Post. "It’s about 20 kilometers from the Komodo National Park, so it won’t damage the park's ecosystem."
The head of Komodo National Park, Tamen Sitorus, appears to agree. He was quoted as saying that the mining was far enough away that it "won’t do any harm to the national park yet." He added, however, that if the mines move beyond the exploratory stage then he will be concerned for the islands' marine environment, which locals depend on.
"All sediment and waste products are to be washed into the ocean into the current through the national park," Mongabay's local source said. "Also food supply will decrease with the oceans being contaminated with soil and wastes."
One of the mining sites has already come under investigation for allegedly violating environmental regulations. Officials visited the Chinese-backed exploratory mine on Batugosok Island saying that the digging began before the approval of an environmental assessment, which if true, would violate China's new environmental guidelines for companies operating overseas.
Mongabay.com is an environmental science and conservation news website.
