Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

THE IMPACT OF TRADITIONAL GOLD MINING IN GUMELAR BANYUMAS, INDONESIA

Muslihudin Muslihudin, Azis Nur Bambang, EkoHendarto and Thomas TriadiPutranto

Abstract

Traditional gold mining that grows without planning and only on the will of the community in order to obtain coffers, then the negative impact cannot be avoided. The gold mining of the people in Gumelar subdistrict Banyu as is also part of traditional gold mining. The purpose of this study was to identify theimpact of traditional gold mining in Gumelar sub-district Banyumas. The method used is qualitativedescriptive. The results show the positive and negative impacts of the traditional gold mining. Positiveimpacts are more dominant in the economic and social aspects of society such as increased communityrevenues and emerging job opportunities, as well as the emergence of new business opportunities thatfollow, as well as increased levels of formal education of the community. Negative impacts are included inenvironmental and social aspects, such as the environmental pollution phenomenon of mercury waste aspart of the mining instrument used and the lifestyle changes of miners leading to hedonistic andconsumerism. The suggestion is the minimization of negative impacts and the maximization of positive impacts.