The Human and Environmental Toll of Nickel Mining in Indonesia

The briefing documents the severe ecological and health crises on Kabaena island, Indonesia, caused by nickel mining. It highlights the contamination of water and food sources affecting the Bajau people and the failure of global automotive companies to ensure their supply chains are free from these abuses. The document calls for an immediate end to mining on small islands, the enforcement of Indonesian constitutional bans, and the implementation of rigorous sourcing standards by downstream manufacturers.

• Nickel mining on Kabaena island has caused severe health issues for the Bajau people due to the presence of metals such as cadmium, lead, and nickel in the air, water, food, and human bodies. These contaminants are linked to neurological and cardiovascular toxicity, cancer, and kidney and liver damage.
• Mining operations have led to significant environmental degradation, including the pollution of coastal waters with sediment. This lack of water visibility has contributed to the drowning of children, including a case in March 2025 in Baliara village, and has deterred parents from teaching younger generations to swim.
• Despite a 2014 Indonesian constitutional court ruling banning mining on small islands, Kabaena continues to be exploited. The island's 14 concessions are identified as an "excellent resource" in Huayou Cobalt’s profile for the Pomalaa Industrial park (IPIP), which includes a High Pressure Acid Leach (HPAL) plant joint venture between Ford, Vale Indonesia, and Huayou Cobalt.
• Nickel from Kabaena is linked to the supply chains of several major global automotive companies, including Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes Benz, Ford, Honda, GM, Stellantis, and Volvo. The report notes that Ford, Vale, and Huayou have failed to provide public commitments to suspend business with mining companies on the island despite being informed of violations.

APA

Jones, S. (2026). The Human and Environmental Toll of Nickel Mining in Indonesia. Mighty Earth. https://mightyearth.org/article/report-the-human-and-environmental-toll-of-nickel-mining-in-indonesia/

Chicago

Jones, Sydney. The Human and Environmental Toll of Nickel Mining in Indonesia. Mighty Earth, 2026. https://mightyearth.org/article/report-the-human-and-environmental-toll-of-nickel-mining-in-indonesia/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Jones |first1=Sydney |title=The Human and Environmental Toll of Nickel Mining in Indonesia |publisher=Mighty Earth |date=18 May 2026 |url=https://mightyearth.org/article/report-the-human-and-environmental-toll-of-nickel-mining-in-indonesia/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{jones2026human, author = {Jones, Sydney}, title = {{The Human and Environmental Toll of Nickel Mining in Indonesia}}, institution = {Mighty Earth}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://mightyearth.org/article/report-the-human-and-environmental-toll-of-nickel-mining-in-indonesia/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }