June 2002, Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta
Following the initiative of the Mining, Minerals Sustainable Development Programme, there is heightened worldwide interest (including by governments and the mining industry) that artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) can be a sustainable livelihood executed in an environmentally and socially competent manner; and significantly contribute to poverty alleviation . In addition, ASM can effectively co-exist in a mutually supportive manner with commercial mining operations - as it did in former times - when small mines provided skilled miners for larger mines; and those miners later returned to the small mines bringing new skills and techniques further developing the mining industry.
The initiator of this proposal, Kalimantan Surya Kencana Limited (PTKSK) and Yayasan Tambuhak Sinta (YTS), respectively the Indonesian subsidiary of a Canadian junior listed mineral exploration company which has been exploring on a Contract of Work (CoW) granted by the Indonesian Government in this remote area for gold and base metals and a foundation YTS jointly incorporated by the local community and PTKSK. The local Dayak community have for some time already identified the ASM potential within this CoW and have started discussions with PTKSK over gaining access to mine on a small scale.
