According to documents seen by the Guardian, one of Indonesia’s largest nickel mining companies supplying important minerals to the global electric vehicle industry did not inform the public that local drinking water was contaminated.
Indonesia has become the world’s largest producer of nickel used to produce wind turbines, solar panels and electric vehicle batteries. However, observers have expressed concern that domestic regulatory oversight has not kept up to the rush to develop mines to meet booming global demand.
The leaked documents seen by the Guardian suggest a source of drinking water close to a $1 billion (£800 million) mining project owned by the Indonesian-based Harita Group on Remote Obi Island, contaminated at dangerous levels with CR6), a cancer-causing chemical widely known for its story of Erinbroccovich and its role in the film.
CR6 can cause liver damage, reproduction problems, and developmental harm upon ingestion or inhalation. There is also long-term exposure due to drinking water It is linked to stomach cancer. The evidence shows that CR6 in drinking water may be the result of industrial processes.
The leak comes after a parental investigation into contamination at the site was contested by mining companies in 2022, extracting and processing nickel for use in EV batteries.
A 2022 survey showed water samples collected from the spring of Kawashi Village, less than 200 meters from mining sites, were tested at government-certified labs, suggesting high levels of contamination from 1 billion (ppb) of carcinogenic CR6. The maximum pollution level permitted by law in Indonesia is 50ppb.
In response to the Guardian’s original investigation, Harita Company said it had shown that the spring water was suitable for consumption and that it met quality standards set by the Indonesian government.
However, leaked documents and emails suggest that the Harita Company has discovered CR6 values for the river osi spring, which villagers use as drinking water. Then, even higher values were found on the following days. It appears that this data has not been published.
The Guardian was given the opportunity to review the material by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) in a joint investigation with the non-profit newsroom, Gecko Project.
This document suggests that Harita Company discovered a test of Kawashira Spring Water, which discovered a CR6 concentration of 70ppb on February 1, 2022, the day after Harita Company provided a statement to the Guardian. A value of 128ppb was recorded on February 7, 2022.
The weekly environmental report for December 2022 reported that a value of 140ppb was recorded in the spring.
Harita has not responded to requests for comment on leaked materials and test results, but in a press release published on its website this month, the company said it has been conducting regular monitoring of the water in Kawasis Springs to ensure it is safe and unstained.
Environmental health experts say the test results suggest an important issue of contamination.
“These are numbers that need to be taken into consideration not only by the company but also by the Indonesian government,” said Matthew Baird, an environmental lawyer based in Southeast Asia.
“Nickel is intended to be one of the transition metals (as it moves into a green, low-carbon economy), and requires a legitimate transition to ensure the protection of the environment, human rights and communities,” he said.