Illegal Sumbawa mine deaths prompt scrutiny of permits and Chinese technicians

Sumbawa — Three miners were killed and six others injured in a landslide at an illegal gold mine in Lawang Tua, Lantung Subdistrict, Sumbawa, on Saturday night, 5 September 2026, prompting scrutiny of permit compliance and the presence of Chinese technicians at the site according to regional officials and local media.

Police and provincial authorities say the operation was an illegal mine located outside the designated people’s mining area, and that activity at the site has been halted following the fatal incident.

Illegal status and safety concerns

Local outlets report that the landslide struck around 21:30 WITA at a pit worked by nine miners, killing three and injuring six when rock and soil collapsed from above the work face according to police and regional officials.

Reports from Sumbawa and Mataram identify the victims as residents of nearby villages and note that several of the injured were referred to provincial hospital care while others were treated locally.

Provincial authorities initially dispatched an investigative team to determine whether the pit lay inside a people’s mining area, known as Wilayah Pertambangan Rakyat (WPR), or outside it.

Subsequent statements by the West Nusa Tenggara Energy and Mineral Resources Agency (Dinas ESDM NTB) said checks on the location confirmed that the Lawang Tua pit was outside the people’s mining zone and therefore operating without a valid people’s mining permit.

Agency head Samsudin said the activity was illegal and that the provincial government, together with mining inspectors and enforcement officers from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, was preparing further action at the site.

Police and local government officials have also said that operations at the Lawang Tua pit were stopped after the landslide, with access sealed while investigations continue.

Questions over Chinese technicians

The deaths have drawn attention to the presence of foreign workers at the mine.

A member of the West Nusa Tenggara provincial legislature’s Commission IV, Samsul Fikri, told local media that mining activity at Lawang Tua lacked complete legal authorization because the people’s mining permit (Izin Pertambangan Rakyat, IPR) had not yet been approved.

In the same reports, Samsul raised concerns about the status of several Chinese nationals said to be working at the site as technical personnel.

He urged authorities to verify their passports, immigration documents and work permits to ensure that their presence complied with Indonesian immigration and manpower rules.

Separately, police sources quoted in regional coverage said Chinese citizens found at the Lawang Tua mine were present as technicians rather than operators, and that the mine’s management was in the hands of Indonesian nationals.

Police have stated they are coordinating with other agencies to inventory the number of foreign nationals at the mine and review their documentation.

Neither police nor provincial authorities have publicly disclosed how many Chinese technicians were working at the site, their employer, or the outcome of any document checks, but officials say the verification process is under way.

Ongoing investigation

Regional media report that the provincial government and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources enforcement unit are still examining conditions at the Lawang Tua pit, including its location relative to the people’s mining blocks in Lantung and the safety measures in place at the time of the collapse.

Officials have indicated that the case has been handed to law enforcement for follow-up on the illegal mining status, while administrative and immigration checks on foreign technicians continue.

The key issues for investigators now are the legal status of the operation, the chain of responsibility for work at the pit where the landslide occurred, and whether foreign workers at the mine held appropriate immigration and employment permits.

Sources

• Detik Bali/Nusra – "Bupati Sumbawa Buka Suara soal Insiden 3 Penambang Emas Tewas di Lantung"
• RRI Mataram – "Waduh! Tambang Lantung Longsor, Tiga Tewas dan Enam Luka-luka"
• NTBSatu – "Tambang Lantung Makan Korban, Pemprov NTB Telusuri Lokasi Masuk WPR atau Ilegal"
• SuaraBali – "Renggut 3 Nyawa! WNA China Ditemukan di Tambang Ilegal Sumbawa"