Extended Data Fig. 2: Comparisons of changes in suspended sediment transport in watersheds affected by oil palm cultivation and river mineral mining.

a, Estimated SSC for a 10-km reach of the Tabir River, a tributary to the Batang Hari River in Indonesia. Rapid increase in SSC following mining onset was followed by a lull in mining, during which suspended sediment declined despite continuing palm oil cultivation. Resumption of mining in the 2010s was followed by another increase in SSC. b, Average standardized SSC anomaly for 30 sites increased throughout the satellite record on average, both before and after river mineral mining began. However, the rate of SSC increase quickened after mining begins, with a clear break point at the year of mining onset. c, Average SSC rate of increase before mining begins is 7 mg l⁻¹ year⁻¹. After mining, the average rate of increase is 47 mg l⁻¹ year⁻¹, indicating the relatively higher impact of river mineral mining despite its smaller footprint in these watersheds. Grey shading in a and b indicates pre-mining oil palm cultivation period.