A New Regulation Needed

THE residence of Ali Hartono was no longer filled with sacks of tin ore. Local tin miners in Parit Tiga District, West Bangka, Bangka Belitung, began to sell their mined tin to collectors who came to their houses. "Now, we don't have to sell the tin secretly anymore," he told Tempo last Wednesday.

Weeks earlier, Ali and other traditional miners in Bangka were anxious because they could not sell their mined tin. The tin collectors ran for cover, fearing arrest if they were caught buying tin from locations that do not have a mining license. As a result, the tin sands stuffed in sacks were piled up at the house of tin miners. "A house can store hundreds of sacks," he said. "Maybe thousands of tons."

July 15, 2014