Illegal Sand and Stone Mining in Rejosari, Gunung Kidul: The Erosion of Community Cohesion and Cultural Values Amid Livelihood Shifts
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study aims to address a gap in literature by providing an in-depth analysis of the social and cultural dynamics of communities affected by illegal sand and stone mining in Gunung Kidul Regency. It focuses on shifts in livelihood patterns, cultural values, and adaptive mechanisms that emerge amid illegal mining activities. The central argument is that such practices foster social polarization, fragile economic dependence, and the erosion of community cohesion. Employing a qualitative ethnographic approach, the research explores the everyday lives of affected residents. Data were gathered through participant observation and in-depth interviews with key informants, including community leaders, village heads, and residents either involved in or impacted by mining. Additional supporting data were obtained from document studies. The data analysis followed an interactive process consisting of data reduction, display, and conclusion drawing. The study reveals that illegal mining has transformed the community’s economic structure from traditional agriculture to mining dependency, generating quick but unstable income. This shift has triggered social conflicts and polarization between pro- and anti-mining groups; undermining long-standing social cohesion rooted in cooperation. Furthermore, cultural values that emphasize respect for nature are increasingly eroded. Practically, the findings highlight that law enforcement alone is insufficient to address the issue. A comprehensive response should integrate local economic diversification, community empowerment, and the restoration of social cohesion.
Article Details
Issue
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
References
Asdan, A., Syafri, S., & Jaya, B. (2023). Strategi Adaptasi Sosial Ekonomi Masyarakat Lokal Pada Sekitar Kawasan Pertambangan PT Indonesia Weda Bay Park: Studi Kasus: Kawasan Perkotaan Lelief Kabupaten Halmahera Tengah. Urban and Regional Studies Journal, 6(1), 58–70.
Asrawijaya, E. (2020). Gerakan Ekopopulisme Komunitas Samin Melawan Perusahaan Semen Di Pegunungan Kendeng. Jurnal Sosiologi Pendidikan Humanis, 5(1).
Cadizza, R., & Pratama, R. C. (2024). Dampak Pertambangan Ilegal Terhadap Kerusakan Lingkungan di Indonesia. Unmuha Law Journal, 1(2), 83–90.
Cahyana, Y. (2018). Pergeseran Kearifan Lokal Masyarakat Dalam Mengelola Sumber Daya Alam. FOKUS: Publikasi Ilmiah Untuk Mahasiswa, Staf Pengajar Dan Alumni Universitas Kapuas Sintang, 16(1).
Capparelli, M. V., Cabrera, M., Rico, A., Lucas-Solis, O., Alvear-S, D., Vasco, S., Galarza, E., Shiguango, Lady, Pinos-Vélez, V., Pérez-González, A., Espinosa, R., & Moulatlet, G. M. (2021). An Integrative Approach to Assess the Environmental Impacts of Gold Mining Contamination in the Amazon. Toxics, 9. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics9070149
Da, S., & Billon, P. L. (2022). Sand Mining: Stopping the Grind of Unregulated Supply Chains. The Extractive Industries and Society. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exis.2022.101070
Dehkordi, M. M., Nodeh, Z. P., Dehkordi, K. S., Salmanvandi, H., Khorjestan, R. R., & Ghaffarzadeh, M. (2024). Soil, Air, and Water Pollution from Mining and Industrial Activities: Sources of Pollution, Environmental Impacts, And Prevention And Control Methods. Results in Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2024.102729
Duncan, A. E. (2020). The Dangerous Couple: Illegal Mining and Water Pollution—A Case Study in Fena River in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Journal of Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/2378560
Fitri, A. I., & Akbar, I. (2017). Gerakan Sosial Perempuan Ekofeminisme di Pegunungan Kendeng Provinsi Jawa Tengah Melawan Pembangunan Tambang Semen. CosmoGov: Jurnal Ilmu Pemerintahan, 3(1), 83–102.
Gupta, A. K. (2024). Breaking Rocks, Breaking Laws: India’s Battle Against Illegal Stone Mining. GLS Law Journal. https://doi.org/10.69974/glslawjournal.v6i2.135
Harel, T., Nir, N., Vandermeulen, D., Maoz, I., & Halperin, E. (2024). A Threat to Cohesion: Intragroup Affective Polarization in the Context of Intractable Intergroup Conflict. Journal of Conflict Resolution, 69, 491–517. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220027241247033
Hariansyah, N. P., & Nopianti, H. (2024). Analisis Aktor Terkait Konflik Horizontal Antara Suku Jawa dan Suku Pekal (Studi Kasus Dampak Dari Rencana Pertambangan Batubara PT. X di Desa Suka Maju Kecamatan Marga Sakti Sebelat Bengkulu Utara). Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Dan Ilmu Sosial (JMPIS), 5(6).
Irham, F., Fauzan, R. G., & Pramasha, R. R. (2024). Peran Sumber Daya Alam dalam Mendorong Perekonomian Nasional. Jurnal Media Akademik (JMA), 2(11).
Maulana, A. S., Wargo, W., Munib, A., & Kurniawan, K. (2025). Makna Kesejahteraan dalam Pandangan Masyarakat Marjinal: Studi Etnografi di Kawasan Urban Miskin. Jurnal Al Mujaddid Humaniora, 11(01), 44–53.
Mawaddah, S., & Hajar, I. I. (2024). Teori Konflik Kekuasaan dan Dinamika Politik di Indonesia. Qurthuba: The Journal of History and Islamic Civilization, 8(1), 14–31.
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1992). Analisis Data Kualitatif. Penerbit Universitas Indonesia.
Mukaromah, S., Sapitri, E., Tauhidayah, I., & Septia, R. B. (2024). Upaya Pemerintah dalam Pembangunan Ulang Terhadap Tambang Timah Ilegal di Bangka Belitung. Jurnal Bevinding, 2(02), 24–35.
Mukmin, N. A. (2025). The The Diversification of Employment Towards the Socioeconomic Resilience of Local Communities Around the PT. VDNI Nickel Smelter: A Study in Morosi District, Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province. Jurnal Neo Societal, 10(1), 83–92.
Murty, T., & Yuningsih, H. (2017). Upaya Penegakan Hukum Pidana Terhadap Tindak Pidana Penambangan Timah Ilegal di Provinsi Bangka Belitung. Simbur Cahaya, 4348–4374.
Nasution, P. A. H. (2024). Strategi Diversifikasi Ekspor untuk Mengurangi Ketergantungan pada Komoditas Tunggal. Circle Archive, 1(5).
Nawawi, F. A., Alfira, Z. N., & Anneja, A. S. (2022). Faktor Penyebab Ketidaktertarikan Generasi Muda Pada Sektor Pertanian Serta Penanganannya. Prosiding Seminar Nasional Ilmu Ilmu Sosial (SNIIS), 1, 585–593.
Nurfadila, N., Imfyan, H. D., & Zulkarnaini, Z. (2024). Efektivitas Kebijakan Penertiban Penambangan Emas Tanpa Izin Dalam Mengurangi Kerusakan Lingkungan Hidup di Kabupaten Kuantan Singingi. PROSIDING SENADIKA: Seminar Nasional Akademik, 1(1), 916–926.
Pambudi, A. (2020). Kerusakan Lingkungan Sebagai Dampak Penambangan Batu Kapur Di Bentang Alam Karst Kabupaten Gunungkidul. Pranata Hukum, 15(2), 212–220.
Prasetya, D., & Fahadayna, A. C. (2024). Identifikasi Illiberal Peacebuilding Dalam Manajemen Konflik Lingkungan: Kasus Tambang Pasir Besi di Lumajang. Journal of Syntax Literate, 9(10).
Prasetyo, M. H., Baderan, D. W. K., & Hamidu, M. S. (2025). Dampak Kerusakan Lingkungan Akibat Eksploitasi Sumber Daya Mineral dari Kegiatan Pertambangan. Hidroponik: Jurnal Ilmu Pertanian Dan Teknologi Dalam Ilmu Tanaman, 2(2), 01–11.
Purwanta, J., Anon, S., & Ristyowati, T. (2021). Recovery Engineering of Ex-Illegal Sand and Stone Mining on The Slopes Of Mount Merapi. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET). https://doi.org/10.34218/ijciet.12.8.2021.006
Rahman, A. (2023). Mobilitas Tenaga Kerja Dan Dampaknya Terhadap Kehidupan Sosial Budaya Pada Masyarakat Perdesaan. Jurnal Ekonomi Dan Riset Pembangunan, 1(3), 53–63.
Rahmawati, D. A., Haryono, H., Endarto, B., Santoso, B. T., & Kunarso, K. (2025). Legal Framework and Law Enforcement of Illegal Mining in Indonesia: A Normative Jurisdictional Analysis of the Implications of Environmental Law and Criminal Law. West Science Law and Human Rights. https://doi.org/10.58812/wslhr.v3i02.1865
Rahmawati, L., & Gunawan, A. (2023). Dampak Ketimpangan Ekonomi Terhadap Konflik Sosial di Indonesia. JPIB: Jurnal Penelitian Ibnu Rusyd, 2(1), 60–71.
Reeves, S., Kuper, A., & Hodges, B. (2008). Qualitative Research Methodologies: Ethnography. BMJ : British Medical Journal, 337. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.a1020
Rohman, A., Hartiwiningsih, & Rustamaji, M. (2024). Illegal Mining in Indonesia: Need for robust Legislation and Enforcement. Cogent Social Sciences, 10. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2024.2358158
Sembiring, R. (2018). Dampak Perubahan Budaya Sosial Ekonomi Terhadap Kemiskinan dan Kesejahterahan Pada Masyarakat Desa Pahlawan: Rahmad Sembiring. Jurnal Kajian Ekonomi Dan Kebijakan Publik (JEpa), 3(1), 75–82.
Sihombing, E. S. (2019). Reposisi Paradigma terhadap Alam Semesta: Tawaran Refleksi Filosofis dan Teologis. Societas Dei: Jurnal Agama Dan Masyarakat, 6(1), 87–87.
Sunarto, S., Taqwa, R., & Suleman, Z. (2024). Konflik Dalam Praktek Pengeboran Minyak Ilegal (Illegal Drilling) Di Desa Keban 1 Kecamatan Sanga Desa Kabupaten Musi Banyuasin. Jurnal Education and Development, 12(1), 115–124.
Widyastuty, A. A. S. A. (2024). Pengendalian tambang pasir ilegal dalam perspektif masyarakat demi keberlanjutan ekosistem Pantai Kampa Wakatobi. Jurnal Plano Buana, 4(2), 136–145.
Wulandari, W., & Sisdianto, E. (2025). Praktik Terbaik Tata Kelola Lingkungan Dalam Industri Pertambangan di Kalimantan. Jurnal Ilmiah Ekonomi, Manajemen, Bisnis Dan Akuntansi, 2(1), 232–244.
Xiang, H., Wang, Z., Mao, D., Zhang, J., Zhao, D., Zeng, Y., & Wu, B. (2021). Surface mining caused multiple ecosystem service losses in China. Journal of Environmental Management, 290, 112618. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112618
Yeboah, R. (2025). Environmental Impacts of Illegal Gold Mining and Its Threat to Ecotourism Development in the Amansie South District. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhtm.20250901.14
Yuwana, N., Nugroho, H., & Abdullah, I. (2012). Kontestasi Elit dan Marginalisasi Penduduk Lokal di Lokasi Pertambangan Batubara Kutai Kartanegara. Jurnal Pemikiran Sosiologi Volume, 1(2).