COAL MINES IN INDONESIA

PAPERS
Prepared to fulfil the English course assignments
Course Lecturer : Wika Amur, S.Pd.,M.Pd
Arranged By :
Nur Aisyah Salamba
2302331201177

MINING STUDY PROGRAM

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
ANDI DJEMMA UNIVERSITY
PALOPO CITY
2023
 Foreword

There is no appropriate sentence for the author to say except gratitude to God
Almighty for his grace so that I was able to complete the paper entitled "Coal
Mining in Indonesia" well.

The aim of the author is to increase insight and learn about coal mining in
Indonesia.

On this occasion, the author would like to express his thanks to the lecturer who
has given the assignment and also to all related parties who have provided moral
and material support so that this paper can be completed.

There is no ivory that is not cracked, the author realizes that this paper is far from
perfect. Therefore, the author expects criticism and suggestions for the perfection
of this paper.

Palopo, Desember 2023

Compile

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 LIST OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION................................................................................................1
Background....................................................................................................................1
1.1 Objectives..........................................................................................................1
1.2 Problem Formulation.......................................................................................1
CHAPTER II DISCUSSION.....................................................................................................2
2.1 Coal in General.................................................................................................2
2.1.1 Age of Coal................................................................................................2
2.1.2 Coal Formation Materials...........................................................................2
2.1.3 Coal Mining................................................................................................2
2.1.4 Class and Type of Coal...............................................................................3
2.2 Stages of Coal Mining Activities......................................................................3
2.3 Case of Mining Impact on the Environment..................................................5
2.3.1 Environmental Impact................................................................................5
2.3.2 Impact on Human.......................................................................................7
2.3.3 Social and Community Impact...................................................................7
2.4 Discussion Solituion..........................................................................................7
CHAPTER III........................................................................................................................9
CLOSING.............................................................................................................................9
3.1 Conclusion.........................................................................................................9
3.2 Suggestion.........................................................................................................9
BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................................................................................................10

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 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION
Background
Indonesia is one of the largest coal mining producing areas in the world. One
of the largest minig producing areas in Indonesia is south Kalimantan. The growth
of mining in South Kalimantan it self is increasingly rapid because more and more
mining land is being discovered. However, rapid growth is not balanced with good
management by irresponsible parties. Lack of socialization about proper mine
management causes many negative impacts on environment. Even though it is not
very noticeable now, in a few years the impact of incorrect mining management
could disrupt the stability of the ecosystem, Efforts need to the made now to
overcome mismanagement of mines. Starting from Socialization to real action. So
it is hoped that natural balance will be maintained. Every mining activity, be it
coal, nickel and marble mining and others, will definitely have positive and
negative impacts is an increase in state foreign exchange and local revenue as well
as accommodating the workforce, while the negative impact of mining activities
can be grouped in the form of damage to the earth’s surface, waste waste
( Tailings), noise, air pollution, land subsidence and damage due to equipment
transportation and heavy lifting.

Because there are so many negative impacts caused by mining activities, we

need to be aware of the environment so that we can meet environmental standards
so that they can be accepted by the market. Moreover, most mining commodities
are usually sold in the form off raw materials, so you have to be careful in
managing them because if users find out that the raw materials they have
purchased are polluting the environment, then this could be a blow to our mining
industry. Meanwhile, it must also be known that the management of natural
resources resulting from mining is from mining is for the prosperity of the people.
One way is through regional development. Mining companies must participate.
Developing the area around the mine site, including those related human resource
development.

1.1 Objectives
1. Know the meaning of coal in general
2. Know the planning process and coal mining process
3. Knowing the impacts of coal mine management, and
4. Knowing solutions to overcome them.
1.2 Problem Formulation
1. What is meant by coal?
2. What is the coal mining planning and production process?
3. What impact does coal mining have on the environment?
4. What are the efforts that can reduce the impacts of mining

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 Chapter II

DISCUSSION
2.1 Coal in General
2.1.1 Age of Coal
The formation of coal requires certain conditions and only occurs
in certain eras throughout geological history. The carboniferous period,
approximately 340 million years ago, was the most productive period of
coal formation where almost all economical black coal deposits also
formed in the southern hemisphere, such as Australia, and continued until
the tertiary Periode (70 – 13 million years ago) in various other parts of
the world.

2.1.2 Coal Formation Materials

Almost all coal forms come from plants. The types of coal-forming
plants and their ages according to diesel (1981) are as follows:
 Algae, from the Pre-cambrian to the Ordovician Periode and are
single-called. There are very few coal deposits from this period.
 Silophytes, from the Silurian to the Middle Devonian Period, are
derivatives of algae. Few coal deposits from this period.
 Pteridophytes, Upper Devonian to Upper Carboniferous age. The
main material forming Carboniferous age coal in Europe and North
America. Plants without flowers and seeds, reproduce by spores
and grow in warm climates.
 Gymnosperms, time period from the Permian to the Middle
Cretaceous. Heterosexual Plants, seeds ecased in fruit, such as pine,
contain high levels of resin.
 Angiosperms, from the Upper Cretaceous seeds, male and female
in one flower, are less gummy than gymnosperms and are, in
general, less well preserved.

2.1.3 Coal Mining

Coal mining is the extraction of coal from the earth. Coal is used as
fuel. Coal can also be used to make coke for steelmaking. The oldest coal
mine is located at Tower Colliery in England. Judging from the method
of mining, coal mining can be divided into several types, including:
 Open Mining
This type of mining is carried out by mining coal without carrying
out heavy excavation because the coal is located close to the earth’s
surface.

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  Deep Mining
This type of mining is carried out using a special technique where a
vertical tunnel needs to be made to reach the coal seam. When you have
reached this layer, will then need another horizontal tunnel to get the
coal.
 Remote Mining
This mining is carried out when the coal area is under the hill
where an inclined tunnel is made to reach the coal seam.
 Above Surface Mining
This type of coal mining acrivity is carried out if the coal you want
to search for is in a hill or mountain, but it is located on a flat ground
surface, so a flat tunnel is needed to mine it.

2.1.4 Class and Type of Coal

Apart from mining methods and general forms, we will now look at
the classification and types of coal. Based on the level of the formation
process which is controlled by pressure, heat and time, coal is generally
divided into 5classes, namely:

 Anthracite is the highest class of coal, with a metallic black luster,

containing between 86% - 98% carbon (C) with a water content of less
than 8%.
 Bituminous contains 68 – 86% carbon (C) and air content of 8 –
10% by weight. The most mined grade of coal in Australia.
 Sub-bituminous contains little carbon and much air, making it a
less efficient heat source than bitumen.
 Lignite or brown coal is a very soft coal that contains 35 – 75% air
by weight.
 Peat is porous and has an air content above 75% and the lowest
calorific value.

2.2 Stages of Coal Mining Activities

These stages begin with the company conducting exploration. At this
stage, the company first looks for viable mineral sources to be exploited
commercially, namely by doing general investigations, processing permits and
administrative letters to officials local regional government, carrying out
topographic, geological, geochemical and other studies geophysics of the interest
area as well as carrying out drilling, trenching and sampling processes.

The second stage is the evaluation stage. At this stage the company
must take into account the technical and commercial possibilities of the interest
area intended to be mined, namely by calculating and assessing the quality
mineral reserves, researching models and assessing which mining processes

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most economical in each interest area, conduct a survey of transportation modes,
infrastructure, and market and financial studies.
The third stage is the preparation of various infrastructure and
structures that will be allows the mining process to occur, the process of
delivering mining products to point of sale and the sales process to be carried
out, which are in stages the company must carry out processes such as the face
formation process earth permanently. “construction of roads, transport routes and
tunnels, construction of supporting facilities, land clearing, and stripping of
topsoil initial work is done at this stage.”
In the fourth stage the company carries out the production stages every
day to release mineral reserves into mining products, transport mining products
to sales points and deliver mining products. In this process also includes the
process of purification, washing, or further processing of minerals until they
reach the ready-to-sell stage. In general, explained Ilham, in stages in this
production, the company strips closed layers of soil, carrying out mineral
extraction, mineral transportation, production road maintenance, stockpile
management, washing/further processing of minerals, loading (i.e. process
transfer of mining results from the stockpile to the mode of transportation used
for distribution).
The final stage, the company must close the mine and restore the
condition of the mined area to near the condition before mining is carried out.
"For the purposes of the mine closure process, this company are required to
prepare the usual mine closure work plan (RKPT). The company must prepare it
at the initial stage of the production process."
The stages of coal mining activities applied to open pit mining are as
follows:

1. Preparation
This activity is an additional activity in the mining stage. This activity
aims to support the smooth running of mining activities. At this stage a mine
road (access road), stockpile, etc. Will be built.
2. Land Clearing
Activities carried out to cleare the area to be mined range from bushes
to large trees. The tools commonly used are bulldozers, rippers and chainsaw
cutting machines to cut down trees with a diameter greater than 30 cm.
3. Stripping to soil
The purpose of removing top soil is to save the land from being
damaged so that it still has original soil elements, so that this top soil can be
used and replanted for activities reclamation.
The peeled top soil will be moved to a temporary strong area or
immediately transferred to a pile. This depends on the company’s planning.
4. Overburden Stripping
If the overburden materials is soft rock, then the overburden will be free
excavate. However, if the materials is strong material, then demolition is
carried out first by blasting and then excavation activities are carried out.

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 The blasting that will be carried out needs to be designed in such a way that
it is in accordance with the desired production.
5. Overburden Removal
Overburden can be filled in two ways, namely backfilling and direct
filling. The overburden that will be used as backfilling material usually be
dumped into temporary stockpiles when a new mine is opened.
6. Coal Mining (Coal Getting)
To carry out coal mining (coal getting) itself, coal cleaning activities are
first carried out. The purpose of this coal cleaning activity is to clean
impurities originating from the form of residual overburden material that is
still left behind, as well as other impurities in the form of settling agents
(surface water, rainwater, landslides). Next, coal getting activities are carried
out until loading into the transportation equipment. For hard coal seams,
harrowing is carried out first.
7. Transportation of Coal to (Coal Hauling)
After the coal getting activity is carried out, the next activity is
transporting coal (coal hauling) from the mine location (pit) to the stockpile
or directly to the processing unit.
8. Stripping Parting (Parting Removal)
Coal sections that separate two or more layers of coal need to be moved
so they do not interfere with coal mining.
9. Backfilling (From Temporary Storage)
Cover soil and top soil that were previously stored in temporary storage
will be transported back to the designated area mined (mined out). This
activity is intended to ensure that ex-mining pits do not leave large holes and
are usded for post-mining land rehabilitation.
10. Land Leveling and Rehabilitation (spereading)
Consisting of the work of filling, leaving, forming and spreading top
soil over the disposal overburden that has been backfilled, so that the ex-
mining area can be replanted for environmental restoration (reclamation).
11. Greening (reclamation)
It is a process for replanting ex-mining land with plants that are suitable
or almost the same as when the mine was not opened.
12. Control (Monitoring)
This activity is aimed at monitoring the application of the initial mining
plan. Control will be carried out on mine slopes, piles, or the environment,
both on active pits and pits that have been mined.

2.3 Case of Mining Impact on the Environment

Environmental pollution is a condition that occurs due to changes in
environmental conditions (land, air and water) that are unfavorable
(damaging and detrimental to human, animal and plant life) caused by the
presence of foreign objects (such as rubbish, industrial waste, oil,
dangerous metals, etc.) as result of human actions, resulting in the
environment not functioning as before (Susilo,2003).

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2.3.1 Environmental Impact
Every mining activity, be it coal, nickel and marble mining and
others, will definitely have positive and negative impacts on the
surrounding environment. The positive impacts is an increase in
state foreign exchange and local revenue as well as accommodating
the workforce, while the negative impacts of mining activities can
be grouped in the form of damage to the earth’s surface, tailings,
noise, air pollution, the decline of the earth’s surface (land
subsidence), and damage due to transportation of heavy equipment
and lifts.
Because there are so many negative impacts caused by mining
activities, we need to be aware of the environmental standards so
that they can be accepted by the market. Moreover most mining
commodities are usually sold in the form of raw materials, so you
have to be careful in managing them because if users find out that
the raw materials they have purchased are polluting the
environment, then this could be a blow to our mining industry.
Meanwhile, it must also be known that the management of
natural resources resulting from mining is for the posperity of the
people. One way is through regional development or community
development. Mining companies are obliged to participate in
developing areas around mining sites, including those related to
human resource development. Because mining products will one
day run out, managing mining activities is very important and
mistakes cannot be made. Like other mining activities in Indonesia,
coal mining has also caused significant damage to the environment,
including water, land air and forest. Coal mining directly causes
pollution, including ;

1. Water Pollution
The surface of coal containing pyrite (iron sulfide) interacts
with water to produce high sulfuric acid which kills fish in
rivers, plants and water biota which are sensitive to drastic
changes in pH.
2. Air Pollution
Chronic air pollution/pollution is very dangerous for health.
According to logic, dirty air definitely affects the functioning
of the lungs. The role of pollutants plays a role in stimulating
respiratory diseases such as influenza, bronchitis and
pneumonia as well as chronic diseases such as asthma and
chronic bronchitis.
3. Soil Pollution
Coal mining can damage existing vegetation, destroy genetic
soil profiles, replace genetic soil profiles, destroy wildlife and
their habitats, degrade air quality, change land use and to a

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 certain extent can permanently change the general topography
of mining areas.

2.3.2 Impact on Human

Impact of pollution caused by coal mining on humans, the
emergence of various diseases, including:
1. Coal washing waste contains substances that are very
dangerous for human health if the water is consumed it
can cause disease skin in humans such as skin cancer.
Because of the waste contains sulfur (b), mercury (Hg),
sulfuric acid (Hcn), manganese (Mn), Sulfuric acid
(H2sO4), in addition coal dust causes air pollution along
roads used for transportation activities coal. This causes
the spread of tract infections breathing, which can have
long-term effects in the form of lung, blood or stomach
cancer. It is even suspected that it can cause birth disabled
baby.
2. Among the negative impacts are environmental damage
and problems health caused by the mining process and its
use. Coal and its waste products, in the form of light ash,
heavy ash and scale combustion residue, contains various
heavy metals: such as arsenic, lead, mercury, nickel,
vanadium, beryllium, cadmium, barium, chromium,
copper, molybdenum, zinc, selenium, and radium, which
are very dangerous if disposed of in the environment.
3. Like other mining activities in Indonesia, Mining Coal
has also caused environmental damage which is quite
serious, be it water, land, air and forests, mining water
Coal directly causes water pollution, namely from waste
coal purification in terms of separating coal from sulfur.
The washing waste pollutes the river water and causes the
colour of the water the river becomes cloudy, acidic, and
causes river shallowing due to coal leaching deposits.
Coal washing waste after research, it contains substances
that are very dangerous for health humans if the water is
consumed. This waste contains sulfur (b), Mercury (Hg),
Slaric Acid (Hcn), Manganese (Mn), Sulfuric Acid
(H2sO4), and Pb. Hg and Pb are heavy metals that can
causes skin diseases in humans such as skin cancer.

2.3.3 Social and Community Impact

1. Disruption of Public Road Flow
2. Land Conflicts to Socio-Cultural Shifts in Society

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2.4 Discussion Solituion
It cannot be denied that the government has an important role in
finding solutions to the impacts and influences of coal mining is in
Indonesia. The government must realize that it is their duty ensuring a
future powered by clean and renewable energy. With In this way, damage
to humans and their social life as well as ecological damage and the
negative impacts of climate change can be avoided. Unfortunately, Govt
Indonesia would like to believe that coal is the answer to its energy
demand looming, and unwilling to recognize the extraordinary potential of
renewable energy whose sources are abundant in this country.

Efforts to prevent and overcome the impacts caused by Coal miners can
take several approaches to do certain actions as follows:

1. Technological approach, with a preventive technology orientation

(control/protective), namely the development of special road/lane facilities
for transporting coal will reduce the complexity of the problem
transportation. Pedestrians will be protected from the air space dirty. Use a
dust mask to minimize risk exposed/exposed to coal dust.
2. An environmental approach aimed at environmental management so that
will avoid losses arising from environmental damage. Efforts to
reclamation and reforestation of former coal mining can prevent the
proliferation of malaria mosquitoes. Worried about it being used Coal
holes/craters can become breeding places for mosquitoes places).
3. An administrative approach that binds all parties in the activity coal
mining operations must comply with applicable provisions (law
enforcement). An educational approach to the community is carried out
and developed to develop and provide continuous counseling/information
motivate behavior change and raise awareness to participate maintain
environmental sustainability.

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 CHAPTER III

CLOSING
3.1 Conclusion
The formation of coal requires certain and only conditions occurred
in certain eras throughout geological history. Carboniferous Period, 340
million years ago, was the most productive period of coal formation where
almost all the economic coal (black coal) deposits in the hemisphere the
northern part was formed. In the Permian Period, about 270 million years
ago, too Economical coal deposits are formed in the Southern Hemisphere,
like Australia, and continued until the Tertiary Period (70 - 13 million
years ago) in various other parts of the world.

3.2 Suggestion
So that the government can further optimize and socialize about coal
so that miners pay more attention to the environmental impact of on profit
alone. It is also hoped that the government will take more firm action
against these people miners who are proven to have violated mining
regulations so that the miners especially companies using environmentally
friendly technology so as to minimize environmental impacts and the risk
of accidents. Hopefully with miners responsible for the reclamation of
used land mining, so that in the end it does not disturb the environmental
balance.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Agus, F. 2004. Management of Lake Catchments and Their Hydrological Impacts.
Research Institute Land. Bogor. http://www.litbang.deptan.go.id/article/one/56/pdf
[May 31, 2015]

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