Last updated on November 3, 2025
No. Indonesia has legally committed to eliminating mercury use in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) under Presidential Regulation No. 21 of 2019 and the Minamata Convention, which the country ratified in 2017. The regulation sets a target to phase out mercury in ASGM by 2025. While enforcement remains challenging, the law clearly prohibits mercury use in gold processing and mandates a national action plan for reduction and elimination.
Mercury and Gold: A Toxic Partnership
For centuries, mercury has been the secret ingredient in artisanal gold mining—a quick way to extract gold from ore. In Indonesia, this practice became widespread, fueling livelihoods in remote regions. But what seemed like a shortcut to prosperity turned into a public health and environmental crisis. Mercury vapor from gold processing contaminates air, water, and soil, poisoning miners and communities. The damage doesn’t stop there—it bioaccumulates in fish, enters the food chain, and threatens ecosystems.
Recognizing these dangers, Indonesia took decisive steps to break this toxic bond.
The Legal Framework: From Global Treaty to National Action
Indonesia ratified the Minamata Convention on Mercury through Law No. 11 of 2017, joining a global effort to protect human health and the environment from mercury pollution. This treaty obligates signatories to phase out mercury use in ASGM—a sector identified as the largest source of mercury emissions worldwide.
To implement these commitments, Indonesia issued Presidential Regulation No. 21 of 2019, introducing the National Action Plan for Mercury Reduction and Elimination (RAN-PPM). This plan targets four priority sectors: energy, manufacturing, health, and ASGM. For gold mining, the goal is clear: eliminate mercury use entirely by 2025.
Supporting regulations include the Minister of Environment and Forestry Regulation No. P.81/2019, which operationalizes the national plan, and the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Decree No. 1827/K/30/MEM/2018, which prohibits mercury in refining processes. These rules form a legal backbone for mercury-free mining.
Why Mercury Is Banned
Mercury is not just harmful—it’s catastrophic. Studies show that Indonesian ASGM communities face chronic exposure, with mercury vapor levels exceeding WHO safety limits. Health impacts range from neurological disorders and kidney damage to birth defects. Women in mining areas have recorded mercury concentrations far above global averages, and children suffer developmental delays linked to contamination.
Environmental consequences are equally severe. Mercury pollutes rivers like the Kapuas in Kalimantan, poisons coastal ecosystems in Maluku, and threatens biodiversity. Fish and birds accumulate mercury, endangering food security and livelihoods.
Enforcement Challenges: Law vs. Reality
Despite legal prohibitions, mercury use persists. Indonesia’s decentralized governance and high gold prices have fueled unregulated mining. Illegal mercury trade thrives, with smuggling networks supplying miners despite import bans. Between 2015 and 2017, Indonesia exported over 1,100 tons of mercury, much of it undocumented. Enforcement is complicated by remote mining locations and economic dependence on gold.
The government has responded with crackdowns, confiscating tons of mercury and cinnabar ore, shutting down illegal trade links, and promoting mercury-free processing technologies. Projects like GOLD-ISMIA, supported by UNDP and KLHK, aim to introduce safer alternatives and train miners in responsible practices.
The Road Ahead: Toward a Mercury-Free Future
Indonesia’s commitment is ambitious but achievable. By 2025, the country aims to eradicate mercury from ASGM entirely. This requires stronger enforcement, community engagement, and investment in alternative technologies like gravity concentration and cyanidation under controlled conditions. International cooperation and local innovation will be key to success.
For miners, the transition means more than compliance—it’s a step toward healthier lives and sustainable livelihoods. For Indonesia, it’s a pledge to protect its people and environment from one of the most dangerous pollutants on Earth.
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Sources
National Action Plan for Mercury Reduction and Elimination (RAN-PPM) – Ministry of Environment and Forestry
https://sib3pop.menlhk.go.id/uploads/news/1-klhk-bahan-rakor-ppm220719-646cd11530.pdf
2019
Minamata Convention on Mercury – Ratification and Implementation in Indonesia
https://minamataconvention.org/sites/default/files/documents/national_action_plan/Indonesia_ASGM_NAP_2022.pdf
2022