The Roworejo River is located not far from the Tujuh Bukit Gold Mine operated by PT Bumi Suksesindo (BSI). Both are situated in Sumberagung Village, Pesanggaran Subdistrict, Banyuwangi, East Java. When the Sumberagung Village Government initiated the normalization of the Roworejo River to reduce flood risks, the subsidiary of PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk provided support by covering the cost of excavator operations.

The river normalization work began on Saturday, 24 January 2026, targeting a one-kilometer stretch of the river. The process has been directly monitored by the Head of Pancer Hamlet, Estu Raharjo. Improved water flow following the normalization is expected to reduce flood risks. According to Estu, the effort is also crucial to protecting local livelihoods. “Our farmers depend heavily on their crops. When flooding occurs, plants are damaged and they suffer losses,” he said.

The excavator deployed on site has also been used for other community needs, such as creating household waste disposal pits to prevent rubbish from being carried into the river during the rainy season.

BSI’s support for river normalization in Sumberagung Village is not without precedent. In 2019, BSI was involved in the normalization of the Gonggo River, which had previously overflowed frequently, flooding residential areas, damaging farmland, and leaving large amounts of waste behind. After the river was dredged and the removed sediment was used to build embankments, areas that had experienced flooding up to three times a year were no longer affected.

Support for the normalization of the Roworejo River forms part of BSI’s ongoing involvement in environmental management around its mining operations. Through cooperation with the village government and local communities, flood mitigation efforts are expected to be carried out more effectively and deliver tangible benefits for the residents of Sumberagung.

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The handover continues the first phase of rehabilitation covering 500 hectares that had been delivered earlier. With this second phase, the total rehabilitated area submitted by GSM now reaches 1,089.37 hectares. This exceeds the company’s forest-use permit obligation (PPKH) of 999.90 hectares by 89.47 hectares.

The handover documents were signed by GSM Director Cahyono Seto and received by Ir. Sri Handayaningsih, M.Sc, Director of Soil Conservation and Forest Reclamation (TKTRH), representing the Directorate General of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation (PDASRH) of the Ministry of Forestry.

The rehabilitation sites are located in Suka Damai and Wonggasari Tengah villages, Lemito District, Pohuwato Regency, Gorontalo Province. Planting was carried out in two phases: the first from 2018 to 2022, and the second starting in 2022 and evaluated on November 12, 2025.

The evaluation results show a planting success rate of 83.09 percent, surpassing the Ministry’s minimum standard of 75 percent. The planted species include timber trees such as mahogany, nyatoh, and white teak, along with fruit trees like durian, cashew, clove, nutmeg, and rambutan.

Watershed Rehabilitation is a government-mandated effort to restore forest and watershed functions as compensation for forest areas used for business activities. Under the PPKH mechanism, each hectare of forest utilized must be replaced with rehabilitation on another hectare of land. This ensures ecological balance, soil and water conservation, and long-term environmental sustainability.

For GSM, the watershed rehabilitation program reflects the company’s environmental responsibility. “This watershed rehabilitation not only fulfills our regulatory obligations, but also delivers real benefits for the environment and surrounding communities,” said GSM Director Cahyono Seto. “We want to ensure that forest areas remain productive and sustainable.”

GSM is one of the permit holders for the Pani Gold Mine in Pohuwato, Gorontalo, alongside several other companies involved in its management. GSM is a subsidiary of PT Merdeka Gold Resources Tbk (MGR), which in turn is part of the PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk. With the completion of this second-phase handover, GSM has now fulfilled its entire watershed rehabilitation obligation.

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The company, which operates the Tujuh Bukit Gold Mine, received the Main Award for Mineral Mining Technical Management, the Pratama Award for Mining Safety Management, and both the Aditama and Best Awards for Environmental Management. These awards reflect the company’s commitment to applying good mining practices.

“As part of PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk, BSI strives to manage its mining operations with high compliance standards to deliver optimal contributions to our stakeholders,” said Adi Adriansyah Sjoekri, President Director of BSI.

He also expressed gratitude for this achievement and reaffirmed BSI’s commitment to environmental management, which includes monitoring water, soil, and air quality, as well as conducting land rehabilitation in accordance with existing regulations.

The GMP Awards, first held in 2020, aim to recognize and motivate companies to excel in technical management, safety, environmental conservation, and mining services. Several of the awards received by BSI are long-standing types of awards that ESDM has been presenting at different events, such as the Mining Safety Management Award, which has been awarded since 1992, and the Environmental Management Award since 2004. These awards have been given to various companies over the years in recognition of excellence in mining safety and environmental management.

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Photo:  Adi Adriansyah Sjoekri, President Director of BSI, and Iwa Mulyawan, Government & Communication Affairs Manager of BSI (far left and far right) in the 2024 GMP Award.

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At the festival, Merdeka Group showcased an exhibition booth representing PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk and PT Merdeka Battery Materials Tbk (MBM). The booth featured posters, videos, infographics, and various mineral samples, highlighting Merdeka’s sustainability performance and how the company optimizes every mined mineral to create valuable products, especially for the global electric vehicle industry. The booth also hosted recycling workshops, transforming used cans into plant pots and leftover textile materials into tote bags.

On the second day of the festival, three speakers from Merdeka Group participated in a talk show titled “Optimizing the Integrated Electric Vehicle Battery Supply Chain to Support Global Energy Transition and National Decarbonization Agenda.”

Muhammad Toha, General Manager of Compliance, began the discussion by emphasizing Indonesia’s significant potential in the nickel industry, which accounts for 23.7% of the world’s nickel reserves. He explained how MBM utilizes new technology to process low-grade nickel that was previously considered unvaluable. MBM’s business assets, such as the Sulawesi Cahaya Mineral (SCM) nickel mine, the AIM (Acid, Iron, Metal) Plant, and the advanced smelting technologies being developed, including the Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) and High-Pressure Acid Leach (HPAL) facilities, will play a critical role in supporting the global energy transition.

Bahtiar Manurung, Sustainability Manager, continued by outlining Merdeka Group’s commitment to sustainability through clear and comprehensive policies, strategies, and governance. He stressed the importance of achieving Net Zero Emissions by 2050 for Scope 1 and 2 and highlighted the development of the Climate Change Policy. Merdeka Group has also purchased Renewable Energy Certificates from PT PLN (Persero), ensuring that 100 percent of the electricity for the Tujuh Bukit Gold Mine now comes from renewable energy sources. Additionally, solar panels have been installed at the Wetar Copper Mine, and a 35% biodiesel blend is being used for operational vehicles across all of Merdeka Group’s mining sites.

Eben Ezer Sirait, Environmental Manager, concluded the session by discussing Merdeka Group’s innovative and sustainable environmental management practices. He explained how Merdeka adopts a circular approach in its business by utilizing residual ore from the Wetar Copper Mine as feedstock for the AIM Plant. This plant produces sulfuric acid and saturated steam, which will be used at the HPAL plant. The use of by-products from ore processing at the Wetar Copper Mine is a form of mineral conservation—while also conserving the environment, as the once environmentally burdensome acid-containing ore is now processed into valuable raw materials.

Merdeka Group’s participation in LIKE 2 Festival reflects the company’s commitment to sustainability and its active role in the global energy transition and decarbonization efforts. This involvement aligns with the festival’s spirit, which underscores the importance of balancing industry with conservation for the future.

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Mangroves play a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions as they can absorb up to four times more carbon than terrestrial forests. Indonesia boasts the largest mangrove forests in the world, covering 3.36 million hectares or 21 percent of the world’s total mangrove area. These forests encompass 40 of the 54 true mangrove species, making it the most biodiverse in the world. Indonesia’s mangrove forests store 3.14 billion tons of CO2, equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions from 2.5 billion motor vehicles driven for a year. Moreover, mangroves serve as habitats for thousands of species, provide natural coastal defenses against erosion and large waves, and are a primary source of livelihood for coastal communities. By 2022, Indonesia was losing nearly 13,000 hectares of mangroves annually, an area larger than Paris. Therefore, it is imperative for Merdeka to support mangrove restoration in line with its Sustainability Policy.

Headquartered in Jakarta, PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk planted 1,000 mangroves in the Angke Kapuk Nature Tourism Park, North Jakarta, and the Muara Gembong area, West Java. This mangrove planting in Angke Kapuk is part of Bakti Merdeka, a volunteer social activity undertaken by employees. On July 25, 2024, one day ahead of World Mangrove Day, 65 volunteers, including Merdeka employees and national media journalists, participated in various mangrove planting activities in Angke Kapuk.

The Bakti Merdeka volunteers were involved in creating bamboo cages, known as bronjong, to protect mangrove seedlings from tidal waves. Following this, they planted mangrove seedlings. To better understand the mangrove area in Angke Kapuk, the volunteers walked through the mangrove forest and took a small boat along the Angke Kapuk estuary. They then continued planting the mangrove seedlings. Once fully grown, the 1,000 mangrove seedlings planted by Merdeka will be capable of absorbing approximately 25,000 kg of carbon annually.

Cahyono Seto, Director of PT Bumi Suksesindo, one of Merdeka’s subsidiaries, stated during the event’s opening that environmental actions at each Merdeka Group business asset are not only meant to demonstrate the company’s commitment, but also to engage employees more actively in efforts to repair environmental damage. “In addition to contributing to the environment through mangrove seedling planting, the Merdeka Group also fosters collective awareness among employees through sustainable environmental conservation programs, resulting in tangible positive actions for the surrounding environment,” Seto said.

In addition to Jakarta, PT Bumi Suksesindo also carried out mangrove planting in Banyuwangi on the same day. The operator of the Tujuh Bukit Gold Mine planted thousands of mangroves in Kedungsari Village, part of Pangpang Bay, the only remaining mangrove area on the eastern coast of East Java, which was designated as an Essential Ecosystem Area in 2020. This mangrove planting in Banyuwangi and Jakarta follows the planting in Keurea Village, Morowali, in July by PT Merdeka Tsingshan Indonesia, the operator of the AIM Plant at the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park.

Main photo: Bakti Merdeka volunteers at the Angke Kapuk Nature Tourism Park.

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Artikel Merdeka Celebrates World Mangrove Day pertama kali tampil pada PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk.

PT Bumi Suksesindo (BSI), managing the Tujuh Bukit Gold Mine and the Tujuh Bukit Copper Project in Banyuwangi, East Java, marked the environmental day by planting tree saplings on June 4, 2024, a day ahead of the global celebration.

“Let us actively play our roles in ensuring the environment around the Tujuh Bukit mining operations is well-maintained,” stated Roelly Fransza, General Manager of Operations at BSI. “This includes proper waste disposal, reducing single-use plastics through the 3R approach (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), preventing hazardous material spills, and conserving water and electricity to uphold our shared commitment to energy conservation.”

Since 2016, BSI has reclaimed 75.57 hectares of land in the mining area. In 2023, BSI completed compensatory reforestation totalling 1,990.79 hectares, progressively turning over land since 2020, marking the largest compensation area by a private institution to the government at that time. The June 4 event at BSI also featured upcoming activities: mangrove planting at Candi Purwo, Tegaldlimo on July 5, 2024, and coral transplantation at Grand Watu Dodol, Bangsring on September 7, 2024.

Tree planting continued the next day, June 5, 2024, at the Wetar Copper Mine. On Wetar Island, Southwest Maluku, 85 employees and contractors, including Jimmy B. Suroto, Deputy General Manager, and Hidayat Purwoko, Head of Mining Engineering, planted native trees such as ketapang, cashew, sengon buto, and parna around the new Mining Department Partolang office building. The celebration at Wetar Copper Mine included a beach cleanup around the mining area on June 21, 2024, involving 102 employees, contractors, and Brimob, resulting in 35 kg of collected waste.

In Gorontalo, Sulawesi, the Pani Gold Project celebrated by hosting a seminar on innovative waste management in collaboration with Waste4Change, a social enterprise providing responsible waste management solutions. The seminar, featuring Khairunnisa Yusmalina Humaam, Senior Campaign Executive at Waste4Change, was attended by 104 employees and contractors of the Pani Gold Project.

In Central Sulawesi, PT Merdeka Tsingshan Indonesia (MTI), manager of the AIM (Acid, Iron, Metal) Project operating in the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park, celebrated World Environment Day by planting 1,200 mangroves in Keurea Village, Bahadopi, Morowali. The planting of the Rhizophora mucronata mangroves was attended by government officials, security forces and representatives from Merdeka Group subsidiaries. The Head of the Morowali Regency Environmental Service, Elyta Gawi, highlighted MTI’s significant role in supporting Morowali Regency. The first Adipura award won by Morowali Regency in 2024 was largely due to MTI’s donation of the most trash cans in 2023. It is hoped that this mangrove planting will inspire other institutions to support environmental conservation efforts.

Meanwhile, at the PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk headquarters in Jakarta, the celebration was carried out through the Corporate Volunteer Program, Bakti Merdeka. This time, Bakti Merdeka partnered with SMP Muhammadiyah 8 Jakarta in a workshop to create biopores as a soil conservation solution. The workshop involved 92 eighth-grade students and 15 selected Merdeka employees, emphasizing environmental awareness among the younger generation—a pursuit aligned with Merdeka’s core value of sustainability.

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Main photo: planting of saplings at the Tujuh Bukit Gold Mine.

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The awards, which evaluated the sustainability reports of 900 companies, were organized by Investortrust.id and Bumi Global Karbon Foundation. “Companies that can reduce carbon emissions deserve recognition for their contribution to saving the planet,” said Primus Dorimulu, Chief Executive Officer of Investortrust.

At the awards ceremony held at Hotel Aryaduta, Jakarta, on May 29, 2024, 99 companies, including the two Merdeka companies, were recognized for sustaining and reducing carbon emissions. The three awards for Merdeka Group were received by Bahtiar Manurung, Sustainability Manager of PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk, and Luna Margareth, Internal Communication Manager of PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk.

These three awards underscore Merdeka Group’s commitment to sustainability in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Merdeka Group continues to innovate in running environmentally responsible mining operations.

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Main photo: winners of the 2024 Best Corporate Transparency and Emission Reduction awards.

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The awards ceremony marked the culmination of Beritajatim.com’s 18^th-anniversary celebrations on May 2, 2024, in Surabaya, East Java. That evening, the media outlet, a primary reference for the people of East Java, recognized various inspirational figures, organizations, and corporations driving progress in various social fields.

“I am delighted,” said Sundarianto. “This is my first award, and I am grateful to everyone who has supported me.”

Sundarianto’s efforts began seven years ago when he, unable to tolerate the heaps of garbage around his home, rallied his friends from the Indonesian Youth of Etan Gladak Anyar (PEGA) to address the waste issue. In 2017, he started processing waste and cultivating maggots—black fly larvae used as an alternative animal feed ingredient. In 2019, his efforts received support in terms of tools and equipment from BSI.

Sundarianto’s maggot cultivation venture has since flourished. His waste processing activities expanded into other areas, including the development of solid and liquid organic fertilizers, leading him to frequently tour and promote organic farming.

“Now, many residents invite me to share knowledge about waste management and maggot cultivation,” said Sundarianto. Not confined to Banyuwangi, he has also been invited to Australia for waste management studies. He hopes his win at the Beritajatim Awards 2024 will inspire others to be more environmentally conscious.

“Hopefully, this innovation can improve welfare and enhance our competitiveness in the agricultural sector,” said Emil Dardak, the Deputy Governor of East Java, speaking to BSI during the awards ceremony.

Sundarianto’s affiliated group, PEGA, is nurtured by BSI under the Community Development and Empowerment Program (PPM). Through PPM, BSI aims for sustainable community self-reliance. The collaboration with PEGA greatly aids BSI in managing food waste at the Tujuh Bukit Gold Mine. Following the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (3R) principle held by the Merdeka Group, the food waste is repurposed as animal feed and a medium for maggot cultivation.

Like Sundarianto, PEGA activists continue to evolve. Apart from waste processing, they serve as trainers, consultants, and mentors in various waste management programs, including lecturing at universities within and outside Banyuwangi. PEGA was also among the top 10 nominees for the best participants in the Jagoan Tani 2023 event and represented Banyuwangi Regency in the assessment for the Healthy City award in the environmental category.

PEGA’s ongoing development stands as evidence of the success of BSI’s PPM program, reaffirming the importance of fostering partnerships and good relations with the mining community for sustainable community self-reliance.
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Main photo From left to right: Tom Malik (Corporate Communication General Manager PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk), Majid (Community Development PT Bumi Suksesindo), Iwa Mulyawan (Government Affairs Manager PT Bumi Suksesindo), Sundarianto (Local Hero Beritajatim Award 2024), Claudia Cornelia (Representative Media and Stakeholders Relation Officer PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk), and Indriani Siswati (Deputy Head of Corporate Communication).

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This handover completes BSI’s compensation land obligation with a total area of 1,990.79 hectares, surpassing the obligation of 1,985.72 hectares, making it the largest compensation land handed over by a private institution to the government.

The compensation land was allocated by BSI following the government’s issuance of a 992.86-hectare Forest Area Borrowing Permit (IPPKH) for the operations of Tujuh Bukit Gold Mine in the Tujuh Bukit Pesanggaran area of Banyuwangi. As per regulations, the company was required to reforest compensation land with diverse vegetation. For Java Island, the required compensation land area is twice the size of the IPPKH area. The land handover was contingent upon successful plant growth, with a minimum 75% success rate. The BSI compensation land is divided into two locations, Bondowoso, East Java, and Sukabumi, West Java, and has been handed over in stages since July 12, 2020.

BSI’s success in managing and handing over compensation land has received high appreciation from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. BSI received an award as an Inspirational Private Company for Reforestation and Compensation Land in 2019 and was the first mining company to hand over compensatory land on Java Island in 2020.

In managing the compensatory land, BSI involved the local community as workers in planting and maintaining reforestation plants. Throughout the management of the compensatory land, BSI also contributed to the surrounding community through basic food assistance, sacrificial animals, the construction of public facilities and drilled wells, and emergency disaster response.

“BSI always prioritizes environmental management by government regulations. The success of reforesting compensation land is clear evidence of our seriousness in environmental management,” said Adi. “We are proud to be able to achieve the targets set by the government within the specified time.”

Based on plant growth percentages, BSI’s reforestation efforts achieved 100% success in Bondowoso and 86% in Sukabumi, thus declaring overall success. The assessment was conducted by a joint team from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Forestry Service, and Perhutani.

“The rehabilitation efforts we’ve undertaken contribute to reducing deforestation rates in Indonesia,” said Ir. Dyah Murtiningsih, M.Hum, Director General of Watershed Control and Forest Rehabilitation of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, during the Exposure Meeting of Assessment Results and Handover of Planting Results in the Context of Watershed Rehabilitation and Reforestation on Compensated Land.

The management and handover of BSI compensation land reaffirm the sustainability commitment of PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk, which has the highest ESG rating in Indonesia in the MSCI Diversified Metals and Mining category. Apart from excelling in environmental performance, Merdeka remains committed to sustainable social programs and good corporate governance.

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Merdeka will gradually distribute 650 thousand liters of clean water. The symbolic aid distribution took place during the closing of the 2023 BAZNAS National Coordination Meeting at the Sultan Hotel, Jakarta, on Friday, 22 September 2023, by Dinia Widodo, Merdeka’s Corporate Communication Manager, to Ahmad Fikri, BAZNAS Director of Distribution. “Today we begin the distribution at our first designated point,” said Dinia.

Later that afternoon, an initial 12 thousand liters of clean water was distributed to affected communities in Cengkareng Barat Subdistrict, West Jakarta, reaching over 500 households or approximately 1,500 individuals in the RW 5 area. The clean water, transported by water tank trucks, was stored in reservoirs prepared by BAZNAS to facilitate distribution to the residents.

“We appreciate Merdeka’s assistance through BAZNAS in reaching the affected residents,” said Saidah Sakwan, MA, Head of BAZNAS RI for Distribution and Empowerment.

“As a company devoted to sustainability, Merdeka is always prepared to contribute, including alleviating the burden of residents facing a shortage of clean water,” stated Tom Malik, General Manager of Corporate Communication at Merdeka. “This is in line with Merdeka’s commitment to supporting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 regarding clean water and proper sanitation.”

Setting high standards in environmental, social, and governance performance, Merdeka believes that corporate sustainability is not only about profit and business efficiency but also encompasses various vital aspects of community life, including access to clean water and proper sanitation.

“On behalf of the residents,” stated Berliantoro, the Head of Cengkareng Barat Subdistrict, “I express gratitude for the clean water assistance provided by Merdeka, in collaboration with BAZNAS. We sincerely hope that positive programs like this can continue in the future.”
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Main Photo: Distribution of the first 12 thousand liters of clean water in West Jakarta (Photo: Krisnaya Widodo/Merdeka).

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