Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta.  Minister of Culture Fadli Zon has warned that ancient caves containing some of the world’s oldest rock art are under threat from mining activities. 

Karst sites in Sulawesi and East Kalimantan face increasing pressure from industrial expansion, especially cement production.

“In East Kalimantan, there are mining operations threatening prehistoric caves with ancient rock art that is tens of thousands of years old. Sangkulirang Cave alone has around 58 caves with 2,500 paintings, some estimated to be up to 40,000 years old. A nearby cement plant poses a serious risk to this irreplaceable heritage,” he said on Friday (6/6/2025), as quoted by antaranews.com.

The Sangkulirang-Mangkalihat karst landscape spans 1.8 million hectares, with over 300,000 hectares designated as protected geological zones. 

The Ministry of Culture is currently mapping and assessing endangered cave sites and has begun informal discussions with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to prevent further damage. 

(mg/inp/pr/rs)