Govt forms special task force to monitor smelting projects

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has established a special task force to monitor the commitment of the country?s mining companies to meet the government?s requirement to increase the added value of their mineral production, Kompas daily reported on Thursday.

Sutijastoto, the head of research and development department at the ministry, said in Jakarta on Wednesday that the special task force would monitor the seriousness of mining companies in building their processing facilities in order to comply with the mining law, which would no longer allow exports of unprocessed minerals beginning 2014.

He said that the task force would assess the programs in the construction of smelting plans proposed by the mining companies to the ministry. The main aspects to be assessed include the funding, technology and their viability.

?If they are found not serious in their programs in the construction of the processing facilities, they would be given a bad rapport,? he said. If they receive a bad rapport, they would not be given permits to export unprocessed mineral ores when the export ban begins effective in 2014, Sutijastoto added.

Director General of Coal and Mineral, Thamrin Sihite, said recently that mining companies which have begun the construction of their smelting plants might be exempt from the export ban. It means that they will be still allowed to export unprocessed ores until the operation of their smelting plants. (*)