PROBLEMS USING MERCURY IN ILLEGAL MINING IN INDONESIA

Mercury pollution in mining and medical geology research has been carried out by the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. The spread of mercury due to gold mining has occurred in several areas of illegal mining in Indonesia, especially in West Java, Jayapura-Papua, and Central Celebes. Samples were taken from hair, urine, plants, and fish as well as health data and analyzed for the mercury content. Interviews were taken with the 20 respondents that the hair and urine samples were taken from. The average age of the respondents were 37.67 years old with a range of 12 to 63 years. The majority of respondents had little formal education. Result of the Hg analysis in the fish, water, rice, and vegetables are as follows (Hg in ppm): rice 0.012 – 0.062; vegetables 0.023 – 0.062; fish 0.16 – 0.90; water 0.001 – 0.0062. The hair had 0.28 – 0.84, urine 0.28 – 89.33. The observed Hg levels in urine detected exceeded normal levels, and several people who exceeded the maximum levels had health problems. It is necessary to analyze the health risk to the communities around the gold mining areas.