Tondano, Ekuatorial – Massive gemstone mining in Minahasa had taken its toll potentially damaging forest areas in Tincep village, Sonder district, Minahasa,
Tincep head village, Rommy Dapu, said that villagers kept on hunting for gemstone and were difficult to be stopped.
Up to Monday (6/7), local villagers have managed to dig at least to 20 meters deep to get 700 kilograms of rock. As a result, plantations were also damaged because of the digging.
Despite of damaged forest, Dapu said that the rock finding had made his village much more popular. He argued that Tincep gemstone can lift human and motorcycle weights but also can cure headache with its water.
“This is a blessing for Tincep and Minahasa people. By, finding this rock fossil, Tincep village will be famous, similar to Bacan and Palu [gemstones],” he said.
Johny Pontoh and Landi Suwawa, Tincep villagers, said that they were inspired to find the gemstone through a dream. They then started to hunt for gemstone which is now worth of Rp 250,000 per kilograms. Yoseph Ikanubun