26 September 2003, Geoff Crispin / Communities and Small-Scale Mining (CASM)
SSM and Large Mine Relationships: PT KEM (Kelian Equatorial Mining) Mine Closure Mining at Kelian, East Kalimantan started in 1991 and the mine is now moving towards mine closure in 2004.
The local population consists of:
- traditional landowners (Dyaks)
- migrant populations.
a) government transmigration people
b) itinerant and voluntary migrants (Bugis, Banjarese, and Javanese).
The number of small scale miners operation in the area is between 2,000 and 4,000.They are mostly located downstream from the minesite along the Kelian river down to the junction with the Mahakam River. According to several sources both written and informal the majority of the miners are Bugis (approximately 60-75%) and the remainder a mixture of Dyaks and other ethnic groups.
