ABSTRACT
Mining has a long history in the economic development of Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17 000 islands covering over 735 000 square miles, located south of the Philippines and north of Australia along the Equator. Tin mining on Bangka Island started in 1709 and coal mining in West Sumatera in 1849. The technical challenges of Indonesian surface mining operations are substantial. Vegetation and soil are removed to expose coal or other minerals, disturbing areas covering hundreds of hectares at each mine. The 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia describes it as a unitary form of government, in which all power flows from a single source, the national government. Imprisonment for violation of the Basic Mining Law is unheard of, and the fines are considered by mine operators to be insignificant. The Republic of Indonesia continues as a unitary state, and exclusive authority remains in the national government over matters concerning foreign policy, defense and security, judicial.
