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ocals have pleaded for the government to reopen Botak Mountain gold mine in Buru Island, Maluku, as they fear that the gold-rich area, the primary source of income for 50,000 local miners, will be offered to foreign investors.

The Maluku administration shut down the 250-hectare illegal gold mine on instructions from President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo last year, given during his visit to the site. During his visit, the President learned of the rabid use of cyanide and mercury for extracting gold from ore there, methods deemed damaging to both personal health and the environment.

Wael Mansyur, the leader of the Kayeli customary region on Buru Island, has asked for the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry’s assistance to establish the mine as a traditional mining zone (WPR) so that it can be reopened to increase the social and economic welfare of locals.

“We asked for the provincial administration to establish it as a WPR. There have been many interventions that have prevented this from happening, and we asked the minister to help answer these customary people’s hopes,” he said following a meeting with Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said on Monday.

Wael explained that the mine, where gold was first discovered around 2012, could produce 10 parts per million of gold and had a total reserve of 1,750 tons.

“This has enticed many parties, especially from Australia, China, Korea and England, to run surveys in the hope of getting a slice [...] if allowed by the government,” he added.

Locals fear the possibility of foreign investors taking over the mine as there used to be approximately 50,000 people employed at Botak Mountain, and each miner provided for around 10 dependents.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, which results in its world-class mineral deposits of gold, silver, tin, bauxite, iron ore, laterite nickel and copper.

The country’s production of 75 tons of gold in 2015 accounted for 2.5 percent of worldwide production, which totaled 3,000 tons, making the country the 12th most dominant gold producer, according to data from the US Geological Survey.

China held top spot with a yearly production of 490 tons — 16.5 percent of global output — followed closely by Australia and Russia with annual outputs of 300 tons and 242 tons respectively.

Meanwhile, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry director-general for minerals and coal Bambang Gatot Ariyono reports that a WPR status can only be issued once approved by the President or the House of Representatives.

“We will check whether or not the provincial government has submitted a proposal for the establishment of the WPR and we will check whether or not it fulfils the required criteria,” he said.

Bambang emphasized that the mine would not be reopened until a WPR had been issued. However, he also confirmed that the government had not opened the site to foreign investors yet as the WPR issue was still being resolved.

Furthermore, the director general refused to disclose the ministry’s estimates for gold deposits at the site as they were still planning a geological survey of the area for more accurate results.