Geological Survey of Indonesia

Geological Survey of Indonesia
Name	Geological Survey of Indonesia
Formed	1924
Jurisdiction	Indonesia
Headquarters	Bandung
Parent agency	Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources

Contents

Geological Survey of Indonesia is the national geological agency responsible for geological research, mapping, mineral resource assessment, and geological hazard studies in Indonesia. It operates within the framework of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (Indonesia), interacting with institutions such as the National Disaster Management Authority (Indonesia), Indonesian Institute of Sciences, and provincial administrations in West Java, East Java, Sumatra, and Kalimantan. The agency's work underpins policies linked to Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (Indonesia), Ministry of Environment and Forestry (Indonesia), Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, and regional initiatives involving ASEAN and ADB.

History

Founded during the colonial period in 1924, the agency traces origins to Dutch-era organizations such as the Bureau of Mines and the Dienst voor den Mijnbouw. After Indonesian independence, post-1945 restructurings linked the service to ministries including the Ministry of Public Works (Indonesia), Ministry of Trade (Indonesia), and later the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (Indonesia). The agency has engaged with international partners including United Nations Development Programme, World Bank, UNESCO, United States Geological Survey, and Geological Survey of Japan to modernize capabilities. Key historical interactions involved technical exchanges with Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies, British Geological Survey, Geoscience Australia, and collaborations stemming from events like the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa legacy, and recovery efforts after the 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake.

Governance aligns with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (Indonesia) and oversight by ministers who liaise with bodies such as the House of Representatives (Indonesia), Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs (Indonesia), and provincial governors including those of Banten and North Sumatra. Internally, divisions correspond to regional offices in Bandung, Jakarta, Makassar, Medan, and Jayapura, with technical centers mirroring specialties represented by institutions like the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency, and laboratories akin to the BRIN research centers. Leadership historically has included figures who liaised with academia at Institut Teknologi Bandung, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Universitas Indonesia, and Padjadjaran University.

Core mandates include geological mapping, mineral resource evaluation, geothermal exploration, and hazard assessment supporting stakeholders such as Pertamina Geothermal Energy, Freeport-McMoRan, Newmont Corporation, and provincial mining offices. The agency provides technical input to policy instruments like the Mineral and Coal Mining Law (Indonesia), environmental impact assessments for projects involving Trans-Sumatra Toll Road, and land-use planning in regions like Java Sea coasts. It issues assessments used by courts, regulators such as the Energy and Mineral Resources Regulatory Agency (Indonesia), and partners in international development projects with Asian Development Bank, World Bank Group, and USAID.

The agency produces sheet-based geological maps, thematic maps, and digital databases compatible with standards used by International Union of Geological Sciences, OneGeology, and the Global Earthquake Model. Its datasets feed into national platforms used by Badan Informasi Geospasial and the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (Indonesia). Mapping campaigns have covered regions including the Kendeng Mountains, Halmahera, Banda Arc, Sunda Trench, and Papua. Data management practices integrate GIS software from vendors and standards promoted by Open Geospatial Consortium and metadata aligned with ISO 19115 guidelines, supporting collaborations with NGO partners and university research groups at Brown University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of Cambridge.

Notable projects include national geological mapping programs, mineral potential assessments in Bangka Belitung Islands, coal basin studies in South Sumatra, geothermal surveys in West Java and Bali, and hydrogeological studies for water supply in Jakarta. The agency participated in post-disaster surveys following the 2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami, fieldwork after the 2010 Mount Merapi eruption, and reconnaissance after the 1992 Flores earthquake. Multinational initiatives feature partnerships in the ASEAN Earthquake Risk Reduction Framework, an extended survey with Japan International Cooperation Agency on geothermal prospects, and seismic monitoring upgrades funded through agreements with European Space Agency and German Agency for International Cooperation.

The agency issues assessments informing mitigation for volcanic hazards involving Mount Merapi, Mount Tambora, Mount Sinabung, and Mount Merbabu; landslide susceptibility studies in Sumatra and Sulawesi; and tsunami risk modeling for the Indian Ocean. Resource exploration work has supported discovery and appraisal of tin in Belitung, nickel in Sulawesi, gold in Halmahera, and copper in Papua, interfacing with companies such as PT Timah, Vale Indonesia, and Aneka Tambang (ANTAM). Outputs assist emergency agencies including the National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) and infrastructure planners for projects like the Kertajati International Airport.

International cooperation includes technical exchanges with USGS, British Geological Survey, Geological Survey of Canada, and academic consortia at University of Tokyo, National University of Singapore, Monash University, and Australian National University. Training programs target capacity-building with donors such as USAID, JICA, and the Asian Development Bank, and offer secondments for staff to institutions like Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and The Open University. Collaborative networks include International Seismological Centre, Global Volcanism Program, IUGS, and regional platforms such as ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance.