Community Based Environmental Research in Indonesia

Community-based environmental research in Indonesia focuses on the environmental impacts of two mines.

The first study examines the impacts of a nickel mine and smelter in Sorowako, South Sulawesi on air quality, water quality, and human health. The town of Sorowako is on the shores of Lake Matano, one of Indonesias great lakes, with unique limnology and an endemic fish fauna.

Smelter plumes over Sorowako.

Arsenic concentration map or metal compositon map.

The second project examines heavy metal contamination from gold mining in North Sulawesi. An industrial mine dumps arsenic-, antimony- and mercury-rich tailings into the ocean, while small-scale mining releases elemental mercury to the air, rivers, and ultimately nearshore marine areas. Metal concentrations and forms are studied in marine sediments and in coral skeletons.

Some publications

Edinger, E.N., Blackwood, G.M., Siregar, R.P. (2005). Heavy metal contamination of shallow marine sediments from submarine tailings disposal and artisanal gold mining, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Presented at the Geological Association of Canada Annual Meeting, Halifax, NS, May 2005, Special Session, Metals in the Environment.

Edinger, E.N.,Siregar, R.P. & Glynn, T. (2003) Heavy-metal contamination of reef sediment and coral skeletons from submarine tailings. GAC-MAC Conference.