ESTIMATION OF SOIL EROSION AND ITS IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN AN INDONESIAN NICKEL MINE THROUGH GEO-ENVIRONMENTAL SPATIAL IMAGINARIES

• Main Author: Ritista Perdana Atmaja, Rangga
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Teknik saniter dan perkotaan; teknik perlindungan lingkungan
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/84787
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Indonesia has a strategic position for the nickel industry both upstream and downstream because it has the largest nickel resources in the world, equivalent to 21 million tons (22% of world reserves). Laterite deposit extraction activities have the potential to cause changes in environmental tone. Environmental conditions as a result of mining activities can cause negative impacts, especially the potential for erosion. Erosion prediction analysis is required using the RUSLE method by including various influencing factors, including soil erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), slope (LS), land cover (C), and soil conservation (P). Based on spatial analysis using ArcGIS, an erosion value range of 0 to 401,985 tons per year was obtained. As a result, there is potential for contamination of chromium metal content in the range of 795.7 kilograms/year or around 2.18 kilograms/day to 40,198.5 kilograms/year or 110.13 kilograms/day. The areas predicted to experience erosion are not in mining areas but in areas that have quite extreme slopes. Reclamation, revegetation, and geotechnical & hydrological activities can be a solution to maintain slope stability.