Gold, copper output seen rising this year

The government expects higher gold and copper production this year, flat output for tin, and sharp drop in the output of other key minerals following the introduction of export ban on raw materials in January.

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources expects the country?s gold production this year to increase by 47.5 percent to 87 tons from 59 tons last year.

"This year gold production is targeted at about 87 tons," said Dede Suhendra, Director for Mineral Business Development and Management at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources on Wednesday, as quoted by a report.

He said that the country?s gold production during the past 10 years has been fluctuating. He added that the highest production of gold in the past ten years was in 2005, when it reached 143 tons.

Dede said tin production in 2014, meanwhile, is projected at 88,000 tons, which is the same as in 2013.

Copper production is likely to be 640,000 tons, up by 450,000 from last years.

Production of nickel, bauxite, iron and iron sand is projected to drastically drop, following the implementation of Law Number 4 of 2009 on minerals and coal mining as of January 12, 2014, that banned exports of raw materials.

Nickel ore production in 2014 is planned at only 3.5 million tons, down from 60 million tons in 2013. Production of bauxite, meanwhile, is likely to be only one million tons, down from 56 million tons in 2013.

Production target of iron ore and iron sand is set at only seven million tons, down from 19 million tons in 2013. (*)