Indonesian authorities are considering two companies’ requests to dispose mining waste into the ocean, a senior government official said on Sunday, at a time of heightened sensitivity about the environmental impact of mining.
The requests come as mining waste management is increasingly scrutinised after a nickel plant in neighbouring Papua New Guinea spilled red mud into the sea last year due to an operational failure.
Indonesia was a major nickel ore exporter until last year, before the government stopped exports in January to support the development of domestic smelters.