Govt evaluating 243 proposals to build smelters

Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is still evaluating 243 proposals on the plan to build smelting.

"We are still evaluating the proposal. We have three commitments (on value added of mineral) no export on raw materials, the company could join a consortium to build smelter and they (miners) should pay 20 percent of export duty," Director General of Mineral and Coal, Thamrin Sihite said as quoted by Bisnis Indonesia.

Thamrin did not elaborate when the evaluation on the proposals to be completed.

Meanwhile, Director of bauxite miner PT Bintan Alumina Indonesia Zulnahar Usman earlier said that the government need to reinforce the mandate of Mining Law regarding the requirement to build smelters. (*)