Critical review of mine closure regulations and alignment with ecological restoration principles

Abstract

Background: Indonesia, as one of the largest coal producers and exporters, faces negative impacts of mining such as water quality degradation, landscape changes, and social conflicts. Although the government has various regulations from MEMR and MoEF, the implementation of mine reclamation is often suboptimal, hampering ecological and biodiversity recovery. This study examines environmental regulations, especially related to mine closure issued by the two ministries. Methods: This study uses a literature study method by analyzing mining closure regulations in Indonesia, including the Decree of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources No. 7/2014, the Decree of the Minister of Environment No. 3/2014, and the Decree of the Minister of Finance No. P.60/Menhut-II/2009, and their relation to ecological restoration. The analysis was conducted using the content analysis method to extract conclusions from related documents, focusing on the criteria for the success of reclamation and mine closure. Findings: There are differences in mine closure regulations with ecological restoration criteria, which show that the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Regulation No. 7/2014 has the highest suitability with a score of 54.55%. This analysis reveals that the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Regulation emphasizes stakeholder consultation, rehabilitation planning, and monitoring, while the Minister of Forestry Regulation No. 60/2009 focuses more on vegetation formation and erosion control, and the Minister of Environment Regulation No. 3/2014 provides guidelines for biodiversity management and fauna recolonization. conclusion: This study shows that the current reclamation and post-mining regulations from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Forestry, and Ministry of Environment require coordination to create regulations that ensure sustainable mining in Indonesia. Novelty/Originality of This Study: The novelty of this study lies in its critical analysis of regulatory gaps, highlighting the need for synchronized policies to ensure effective ecological restoration in the mine closure phase.