- A new environmental report warns that expanding nickel mining is placing Raja Ampat’s coral reefs, forests and Indigenous communities under intensifying threat.
- Using geospatial mapping and field evidence, researchers document how mining concessions overlap with critical ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots within the UNESCO-designated geopark.
- They also describe the industry’s deep colonial-era roots, its modern expansion under state and private control and its connections to global electric vehicle supply chains through companies like Tesla, Ford and Volkswagen.
- Activists are urging the Indonesian government to revoke all remaining mining permits, enforce no-go zones and shift toward sustainable economic alternatives that protect the archipelago’s ecological and cultural heritage.
JAKARTA — In a new report, marine activists are demanding restoration efforts from nickel miners and the Indonesian government for affected areas of Raja Ampat while also urging authorities to enforce the ban on mineral extraction in coastal and small island regions.
The recently published paper combines geospatial analysis with field evidence to reveal mounting ecological risks from expanding nickel mining in Raja Ampat, known as the “Crown Jewel of Marine Biodiversity.” The research maps how concessions overlap with vital coral reefs, forests and community territories within the UNESCO Global Geopark. The findings point to growing pressure on both ecosystems and the livelihoods of Indigenous and local people across the archipelago.
“Our research shows that nickel mining in Raja Ampat creates a domino effect of destruction, from direct forest clearing to sediment runoff that suffocates coral reefs to the displacement of marine species that local communities depend upon,” Timer Manurung, chair of the environmental organization Auriga Nusantara, which collaborated with mining watchdog Earth Insight in the research, said in a press statement published Sept. 25.
The research, supported by recent field photos, has revealed how more than 22,000 hectares (54,000 acres) of nickel mining concessions continue to threaten the UNESCO Global Geopark in Raja Ampat. Using the latest geospatial analysis, the researchers mapped overlaps between mining concessions and critical ecosystems, showing risks to 2,470 hectares (6,100 acres) of coral reefs and 7,200 hectares (17,800 acres) of forest, as well as the livelihoods of more than 64,000 Indigenous and local community members. The study, based on December 2024 mining data, focuses on islands within the geopark and nearby Gag Island, highlighting how nickel operations encroach on Key Biodiversity Areas and reefs within a 5-kilometer (3-mile) pollution zone.
“Raja Ampat represents one of the planet’s most irreplaceable marine ecosystems, yet our analysis shows it remains significantly threatened from the nickel mining industry that poses fundamental danger to its coral reefs, marine life and Indigenous communities,” Tiffany Hsu, spatial analyst at Earth Insight, said in the statement.
Nickel mining in Raja Ampat is not a sudden development but the legacy of a decades-long industry rooted in colonial ambitions and carried forward through shifting political and legal landscapes, Ki Bagus Hadikusuma, Auriga’s energy researcher, said in a press event for the report’s launch in Jakarta.
He said nickel mining began in the late Dutch colonial era, when foreign investors were brought in to explore mineral deposits across West Papua, including the islands of Gag, Kawei, Manuran and Waigeo. After Indonesia annexed Papua, the country’s first mining law in 1967 opened the door for formal concessions, with Pacific Nickel leading exploration in the archipelago, he added.
In the 1990s, Ki Bagus said, state-owned miner Antam entered the picture, partnering with BHP Billiton to form PT Gag Nikel, which would later secure one of only 13 exemptions allowing mining in protected forests despite a 1999 national ban. Antam’s acquisition of Pacific Nickel in 2008 cemented state control, paving the way for a production license in 2017 and the start of operations the following year, he noted.
Over the next decade, multiple permits were issued to private companies, expanding the industry’s reach, according to Ki Bagus. But in June 2025, after mounting environmental pressure, the government revoked four private concessions and temporarily halted operations at Gag Nikel, the sole remaining license holder, as it resumed operations on Sep. 3, 2025.
The government has decided not to revoke Gag Nikel’s mining permit, citing the company’s compliance with its environmental impact assessment (AMDAL) and strong performance under the PROPER environmental rating program. A cross-ministry team (including energy and mineral resources, environment & forestry, and marine affairs & fisheries) awarded Gag Nikel a green PROPER rating, signaling that it meets regulatory environmental standards and engages in community empowerment.
Gag Nikel produced an estimated 15.6 million wet metric tons of nickel ore between 2018 and 2024, which was sold entirely through PT Universal Metal Trading, a Tsingshan Group-affiliated trader, for processing at the Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP).
Ki Bagus said global automakers have indirect links to this supply chain. In 2022, Tesla signed nickel supply agreements reportedly worth $5 billion with Chinese processors CNGR and Zhejiang Huayou, which source material from Indonesian facilities including IWIP. Ford has partnered with Huayou and PT Vale on a major nickel project, while Volkswagen signed deals with Tsingshan and Huayou to secure battery materials.
Ki Bagus said these companies are subject to ESG obligations in their supply chains, including Tesla’s own sustainability commitments and the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive for European automakers.
“While the government’s recent permit revocations were a positive step, the remaining concessions and ongoing legal challenges by mining companies mean this global treasure is far from safe,” Hsu said in the statement.
The islands of Raja Ampat are dotted across a patch of the western Pacific that’s larger than Switzerland. They lie within the Pacific Coral Triangle, a global epicenter of marine biodiversity that covers parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands. UNESCO has recognized Raja Ampat both as a Global Geopark in 2023 and, more recently, as a Biosphere Reserve, making it one of the very few places on Earth to receive this dual designation for its geological heritage and rich biodiversity.
But Indonesia’s booming nickel sector is casting a shadow over the archipelago. As the world’s top producer of the metal, crucial for electric vehicle batteries and energy storage, the government promotes the industry as part of its clean-energy transition. Environmentalists, however, say the rush to mine has already fueled deforestation and pollution on small islands in the Malukus and fear Raja Ampat could be next.
Parid Ridwanuddin, Auriga’s marine researcher, said the group’s 2025 field survey estimates around 2,400 hectares of coral reef — roughly 36% of the geopark area — are at risk for mining on Gag and nearby islands. He said his team documented broken Acropora corals and sedimentation near mining camps even at the exploration stage. The threat is expected to intensify with active operations: PT Anugerah Surya Pratama, a nickel firm operating in the area, has already faced government scrutiny over pollution incidents, Parid said.
He also noted that a separate nickel mining site once run by PT Karunia Alam Waigeo, which halted operations in 2013, still showed sediment buildup and damaged reefs a decade later, underscoring how coral recovery can take years. Parid added that localized bleaching near Piaynemo and the Gam Islands showed a pattern consistent with sedimentation from mining, distinct from the widespread bleaching linked to marine heat waves.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries recently reported 226 mining permits (IUPs) operating across 477 small islands in 21 districts and cities, despite laws that prohibit mining in such areas due to the ecological vulnerability of small islands and coastal areas. Still, the ministry says it is drafting revisions to a 2024 ministerial regulation to ensure more sustainable management.
The new report urges the Indonesian government to permanently revoke all mining permits in Raja Ampat and other small islands, enforce comprehensive no-go zones across the archipelago and advance sustainable economic pathways that safeguard both marine biodiversity and local livelihoods, while reinforcing the country’s global standing in marine conservation.
“The Indonesian government must recognize that short-term mining profits pale in comparison to the long-term value of intact ecosystems that support both biodiversity and tourism economies,” Auriga’s Timer said.
Basten Gokkon is a senior staff writer for Indonesia at Mongabay. Find him on 𝕏 @bgokkon.
See related:
Indonesia reopens Raja Ampat nickel mine despite reef damage concerns
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