Indonesian Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq stated that his ministry has received the environmental audit report for the PT Gag Nikel nickel mine located in Raja Ampat, West Papua. The mine was temporarily shut down in June 2025 and resumed operations in September of the same year.
The audit findings indicate several shortcomings in the mine's environmental management that require immediate follow-up and corrective action. The Ministry of Environment has requested the company to revise its environmental documentation and has imposed fines for deficiencies identified in the audit.
During an interview at the Parliament Complex in Jakarta on Monday, January 26, 2026, Minister Hanif noted that based on the audit recommendations, the ministry is assisting the company in amending its basic environmental approval documents to align with the audit's suggestions. To ensure objectivity, the audit was conducted by independent auditors with support from an academic team appointed by the ministry.
Regarding the operational status of the mine, Hanif clarified that it is currently not closed. As a subsidiary of PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (ANTAM), the mine may continue production while it works to improve its environmental documentation.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Environment has now implemented stricter supervision mechanisms, including dispatching independent environmental inspectors on a quarterly basis, to ensure continuous compliance with regulations and to encourage ongoing improvement in environmental approval standards.
Written by Cora Ji, jiruyan@mysteel.com
