The rise of illegal gold mining activities in West Sumatra has become an environmental problem that...
This story excerpt was translated from bahasa Indonesia. To read the original story in full, visit Padang Info. You may also view the original story on the Rainforest Journalism Fund website here. Our website is available in English, Spanish, bahasa Indonesia, French, and Portuguese.
The roar of the water suction machine echoed off the stone walls and the ground. Their roars sounded rhythmic and seemed to compete with each other to make the strongest sound. There are at least seven running pump engines. All the pumps draw from the same spring at the bottom of a hole that looks like a mountain crater.
The water that is sucked in is then shot into the walls of dirt and rock. A worker holding the end of a 1-inch diameter hose was tasked with directing a shot of water through the wall. The earth and stone walls fell. Other workers collect the soil into sacks. Once the sack is full, it is immediately taken to a group of workers who sit in a circle.
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