New spatial analysis released today by Auriga Nusantara and Earth Insight provides stark evidence of nickel mining's impacts and future threats to Indonesia’s Raja Ampat islands, which form part of the Coral Triangle, an area of Southeast Asian seas containing the richest marine biodiversity on earth.

• Massive scale of impact: Over 22,000 hectares of nickel mining concessions within Raja Ampat, with 92% (7,200 hectares) of forest cover under mining concessions and 36% (2,400 hectares) of coral reefs at high risk
• Accelerated mining expansion: Land used for mining in Raja Ampat expanded three times faster from 2020 to 2024 compared to the previous five years
• Critical species impacts: Manta rays (including the largest type in the world, Mobula birostris), five species of protected turtles (including critically endangered hawksbill sea turtles) and other marine life face threats from nickel sedimentation and noise pollution
• Dual marginalization: Over 64,000 Indigenous and local community members are excluded from permit discussions but suffer environmental consequences
• Livelihood destruction: Artisanal fishers report that noise and vibrations from mining have scared away fish and dolphins
• Uncertain permit status: While the Indonesian government announced revocation of four permits, there's no evidence that permits were actually revoked or environmental restoration planned
• Legal loopholes: Companies have filed lawsuits to regain permits, and without permanent "no-go zone" protections, permits could be reinstated
• Tourism threat: Continued mining could jeopardize Raja Ampat's UNESCO Geopark designation, which attracted over 19,000 tourists in 2023

Raja Ampat lies within the Coral Triangle, known as the global epicenter of marine species richness, endemism, and a diver’s paradise. But without permanent protection and removal of nickel concessions, Raja Ampat could become a red-alert casualty of an energy transition built on critical minerals.

Field investigations by Auriga Nusantara reveal the enduring environmental toll of nickel mining in Raja Ampat. Photographs from the affected islands capture stark evidence: once-vibrant coral reefs struck by ships left pale and lifeless; others smothered by sediment from deforested hillsides.

Driven by the transition’s nickel demand, Indonesia, now dubbed the “OPEC of nickel,” gave permits to extract nickel across more than 25,000 hectares of the archipelago. However, high-profile protests this year prompted the government to revoke four of five permits for “several violations in the environmental context.” Yet Raja Ampat’s marine biodiversity and communities are still at risk from remaining nickel concessions and the possibility that companies will win back their permits in court. Nickel mining on any island in Raja Ampat could  trigger a cascade of coral erosion: A recent meta-analysis of the impact of sediments on coral reefs found a far lower threshold for coral death than previously estimated.

Even after the Indonesian government revoked most nickel permits, Raja Ampat’s crystal blue waters could still turn a silty red.

Given the current uncertainty, this threat assessment analyzes how nickel mining could still impact 2,470 hectares of coral reefs and 7,200 hectares of forest cover, as well as the well-being and livelihoods of 64,141 Indigenous and local communities across the 3.66-million hectare Raja Ampat UNESCO Geopark area.

Nickel mining in Raja Ampat is an illustrative case of the threats faced by more than 200 small islands with such concessions across the country. Raja Ampat is an 6.7-million hectare archipelago, half of which includes nine protected areas and a UNESCO Global Geopark. 

It is the habitat for 75% of the world’s coral species, more than 1,600 fish species, and the largest reef manta ray population, along with five species of protected turtles, including the critically-endangered hawksbill sea turtle.

Without enforced “no-go zone” protections and permanent safeguards, nickel mining permits could be reinstated. Revived nickel permits could jeopardize Raja Ampat’s UNESCO Geopark designation, which attracted more than 19,000 tourists in 2023. While the Indonesian government announced the revocation of four permits, there is still no evidence that any permits were actually revoked or that any environmental restoration is being planned on any of the impacted islands.

Auriga Nusantara found that land used for mining in Raja Ampat accelerated three times the rate of expansion from the previous five years. A recent analysis of mining permit overlap with conservation areas in Raja Ampat concluded that significant land cover changes between 2015 to 2023, particularly on Gag, Kawei, and Manuran Islands, provided concrete evidence of “the geospatial impacts of mining activities on coastal and marine ecosystem degradation.” It further noted that contradicting policies for protection and exploitation are “misaligned with the principles of ecological justice, intergenerational sustainability, and the rights of local communities to a clean and sustainable living space.”

After public outcry, this year Indonesia revoked four nickel permits, but there is still no evidence that any permits were actually revoked or that any environmental restoration is being planned on the impacted islands. PT Gag Nikel, which operates on Gag Island (which the government claims its activities do not impact the Geopark), resumed operations on September 3, 2025.

The report calls on the Indonesian government to permanently cancel all mining concessions in Raja Ampat, establish enforceable "no-go zone" protections for the entire archipelago, and prioritize sustainable alternatives that protect both biodiversity and community livelihoods while supporting Indonesia's commitment to marine conservation leadership.