Ecobiz.asia — PT Agincourt Resources, operator of the Martabe Gold Mine, has been allowed to resume operations after undergoing an environmental audit and review by Ministry of Environment and the Environmental Control Agency.
Environment Minister and head of the Environmental Control Agency Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said the company was permitted to restart activities following a limited government meeting with the Forest Area Control Task Force.
“Agincourt’s environmental assessment is considered quite solid. Following a limited meeting with the task force, we allowed the company to resume operations, but with the condition that the ongoing environmental audit must be completed,” Hanif said on Sunday (March 16, 2026).
The government had previously suspended operations at Agincourt and several other companies following hydrometeorological disasters that affected parts of North Sumatra, Aceh, and West Sumatra.
Hanif explained that under the current process, Agincourt is allowed to appoint an independent auditor to conduct the environmental audit. The appointed auditor will prepare a framework for environmental management improvements, which will then be submitted to the government for evaluation.
The government will review the framework with the involvement of independent experts before approving the next stage.
“Once the framework is approved, operations may proceed. During implementation, a team of experts assigned by the government will oversee the process to ensure the environmental audit remains objective,” Hanif said.
He added that the results of the environmental audit will be integrated into Agincourt’s environmental management documents, similar to the approach previously applied to PT Gag Nikel in Raja Ampat.
The audit process may also identify financial obligations that must be fulfilled by the company, including potential fines or environmental compensation measures.
Hanif said that from a technical standpoint Agincourt has met the requirements to operate, although further monitoring will continue under the supervision of the task force.
“If technically the company is allowed to operate, then it can operate. But if it does not meet the requirements, it cannot. We must be transparent about that,” he said.
The minister emphasized that environmental audits are not limited to Agincourt. The government is currently evaluating environmental approvals across the country’s mining sector, covering both mineral and coal extraction activities.
According to Hanif, around 300 mining operations have undergone evaluation so far, with environmental approvals for approximately 100 companies being temporarily suspended as part of the review process.
“This evaluation does not only apply to Agincourt but to all mineral and coal mining operations across Indonesia,” he said. ***
