55 mineral export permits issued: Trade ministry

The trade ministry has issued mineral export permits to 55 mining companies since the government issued a regulation in May to restrict exports of unprocessed minerals, a senior trade official said.

Deddy Saleh, the director general for international trade, said in Jakarta on Friday that the 55 mining companies which received export permits were part of hundreds of companies which had applied for the permits.

The number of the mining companies which had received a status as registered exporters had reached 78. The mining companies should have status as registered exporters in order to be able to export their ores.

?It indicates that not all mining companies are qualified to get export permits,? he was quoted as saying by Kontan daily.

Under the new regulation, in order to get export permits miners must receive "clear and clean" status from the energy and mineral resources ministry, and provide concrete plans on how they will process their ores when the ban on export of unprocessed metal is fully implemented in 2014. In addition to such restriction, miners should also pay 20 percent tax for their ore exports.

Of the 55 companies that have received permits, 32 are nickel ore miners, 6 iron ore miners, 2 copper ore miners and 10 are bauxite miners, 4 zircon miners, 1 marble miner. (*)