Mining Profile at South Gombong Karst Area

Abstract

South Gombong Karst region is an area that has scientific and economic value, especially important for support ecosystem and the living human. South Gombong Karst area have been classified into three zone conservations; zone I, II and III. This area is used for tourism, farming-irrigation, mining, forestry, and water supplay. South Gombong Karst area has a wide variety mineral resources potential, there are limestone, phosphate guano, andesite, bentonite, trass, kaolinite, mangaan, oil shale, and gold. There are 555,98 Ha of excellent quality limestones, 60 persen of these area is a part of karst zone I, 30 persen karst zone II and last 10 persen karst zone III. Guano phosphate-rich beds are associated with limestone caves, the igneous rock of andesite in the form of intrusive sill, dyke and a lava flow, member of Gabon Formation. Both guano phosphate and andesite have good quality. Ca-Mg bentonite and trass can be used for pozzolan cement. Kaolinite useless for ceramics and fillers because was composed by higher content of Fe2O3. Manganees deposit found at both breccia of Gabon Formation and limestone of Kalipucang Formation. The total population of the South Gombong Karst area is estimated 182.167 people, with 59.9 persen as farmer, 11.22 persen trader, 4.6 persen miner, and 24.25 persen the other sector profession. Small mining of mineral resources at the South Gombong Karst area are mainly illegal mining activity by local community. Most of the limestone mining activities were done at karst zone II, large scale mining of andesite were done at Mangunweni, guano phosphate were mined at Sriwulung Cave and Banteng Cave, Mangaan were actively mined at Bleber, a part of karst zone II, gold mining activity were done at Jladri river with manual mining and tunneling by following the vein orientation. Mining activities have to be stopped at South Gombong Karst zone I, important be made mining area map, veterinarian, deligence based on rocks and geo-tourism in harmony with the purpose of conservation. Keywords : South Gombong Karst region, mining potential, mining activity, regulation Proceeding of International Conference and Field Seminar, Asian Trans-Disciplinary Karst Conference; Yogyakarta, March 2011;Polydoor & Faculty of Geography UGM; p :7 – 16