The Impact of Mining Activities on River Water Pollution: A Case Study in the Mahakam Watershed
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62872/1mdztt28Keywords:
Mahakam River, mining pollution, heavy metals, water quality, acid mine drainageAbstract
This study investigates the impact of mining activities on river water pollution in the Mahakam Watershed, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Using a quantitative case study approach, water samples were collected from five strategically selected sites representing upstream, midstream, and downstream areas, with varying degrees of proximity to coal mining operations. The physicochemical analysis revealed elevated concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and heavy metals such as iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and lead (Pb), especially in midstream and downstream sites. These findings suggest that mining runoff and acid mine drainage (AMD) have significantly altered water chemistry. Biological assessments further confirmed ecological stress, as evidenced by the dominance of pollution-tolerant species and a decline in biodiversity. GIS-based spatial analysis identified pollution hotspots near steep, deforested mining zones. Community interviews revealed adverse socio-economic impacts, including reduced fish populations and waterborne health issues. The results highlight the urgent need for integrated watershed management, environmental regulation enforcement, and community-based ecological monitoring to protect the Mahakam River ecosystem and its dependent communities.
Downloads
References
Abfertiawan, M. S. et al. (2024). Application of artificial neural network model to predict AMD from lab-scale kinetic test. arXiv preprint. arXiv
Alamgir, M. et al. (2022). Role of watershed land-use in controlling river pollution: a geographically explicit study. Land Use Policy.
Amy, S. W. et al. (2023). Coal characteristics and AMD potential in East Kalimantan. Journal of Ecological Engineering, 24(7).
Budiyanto, F. & Lestari, Y. (2020). Study of metal contaminant level in the Mahakam Delta: sediment and dissolved metal perspectives. Journal of Coastal Development. Wikipedia+2E-Journal UNDIP+2journalkeberlanjutan.com+2
Eka, P. D. et al. (2021). GIS-based identification of pollution hotspots in mining-affected watersheds. Environmental Science and Policy.
Fakhrur Razi & Titah, H. S. (2024). Management of acid rock drainage based on geochemical characterization of waste rock material. Journal of Geoscience, Engineering, Environment, and Technology. Jurnal UIR
Ferreira, A. L. et al. (2019). Landscape position and mining waste influence on river pollution patterns. Science of the Total Environment.
Gusti Wibowo, Y. et al. (2022). Constructed wetlands for treatment of acid mine drainage: a review. Jurnal Presipitasi, 19(2), 436–450. E-Journal UNDIP
Khan, S. et al. (2024). Assessment of heavy metals and its treatment through phytoremediation in groundwater along River Kabul. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 12, 1392892. Frontiers
Kurniawan, S. et al. (2021). Effects of coal mining on plankton community structure in tropical rivers. Marine and Freshwater Research.
Ma, L. et al. (2022). Impacts of mineral metal resources development on surface water quality in the Mongolian Plateau: a meta-analysis. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10, 1048500. Frontiers
Mol, H. et al. (2021). Biodiversity responses to mining pollution in aquatic ecosystems: a comparative study. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. (contoh regional)
Nguyen, V. H. et al. (2021). Acid mine drainage and heavy metal leaching in Southeast Asia: implications for river health. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment.
Putra, M. T. et al. (2020). Sedimentation and organic load in rivers impacted by coal mining in Kalimantan. Journal of Environmental Management.
Saputra, D. et al. (2020). Human health risks associated with heavy metal exposure from mining wastewater in East Kalimantan. Environmental Health and Toxicology.
Saputra, L. W. et al. (2022). Community health outcomes related to water pollution in mining areas of East Kalimantan. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Sujiman, S. (2023). Water quality condition from upstream to downstream of Mahakam River, Kutai Kartanegara District, East Kalimantan. International Journal of Environmental, Sustainability, and Social Science, 4(4). journalkeberlanjutan.com+1Wikipedia+1
Swer, P. & Singh, A. (2022). Assessment of metal pollution in surface water using pollution indices and multivariate statistics: Talcher coalfield area, India. Applied Water Science. SpringerLink
Wahyuningsih, S. et al. (2020). Macroinvertebrate diversity in mining-polluted rivers of Indonesia. Journal of Freshwater Ecology.
Widayati, S. W. et al. (2023). The Forming of Acid Mine Drainage Based on Characteristics of Coal Mining, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Journal of Ecological Engineering, 24(7), 301–310. jeeng.net
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Neviaisyah Zevani Putri (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
