Located near Sawahluntro, West Sumatra, Indonesia, the Ombilin coal mine was built in the 19th Century for the extraction, processing and transport of high-quality coal when Indonesia was under the control of the Dutch government. Its workforce was drawn from the local population and supplemented by convict labourers from Dutch-controlled areas. It is considered the oldest coal mining site in Southeast Asia.
It comprises the mining site and company town, coal storage facilities at the port of Emmahaven and the railway network linking the mines to the coastal facilities. The Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage was built as an integrated system that enabled the efficient deep-bore extraction, processing, transport and shipment of coal. It is also an outstanding testimony of exchange and fusion between local knowledge and practices and European technology.
Picture Credit : Google