Govt still evaluating Freeport?s request for export permit extension
Thursday, January 7 2016 - 01:10 AM WIB
Director for Mineral Management and Development at the ministry Mohammad Hidayat acknowledged Wednesday that the company had filed a request for an extension of its export permit late last year as the current permit is set to expire January 28.
He said that Freeport was seeking for an export quota of about 700,000 tons, the same as the quota under the current six-month export permit.
?Currently, we?re still making evaluation,? Hidayat told reporters.
After the government banned in early 2014 the export of mineral ores, mineral concentrates producers such as Freeport are required to get export permit from the Ministry of Trade that is valid for six months. The ministry will give the export permit based on recommendation made by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.
Among of the requirements set by the latter for Freeport to be able to obtain extension of the export permit is significant progress of the required copper cathode smelter project to be developed by the company.
Freeport is developing a US$2.3 billion copper smelter in Gresik, East Java. (*)