Govt to hold fact finding mission to resolve tin mining problem in Bangka Island

The government would send a fact finding mission to Bangka Island to help resolve the rampant illegal tin mining problem which has nearly send the state-owned tin mining giant PT Timah into bankruptcy.

Director general of geology and mineral resources Wimpy S. Tjetjep said that the fact finding mission would be jointly carried out by his office, the directorate general of international trade affairs of the ministry of trade and industry, and the office of the coordinating minister of security and politics.

Wimpy said that the fact finding team would start working on Dec. 28.

Illegal tin mining activities have been rampant in the Bangka Belitung province, and the illegal tin products have flooded the export market causing a plunge in the commodity price and huge losses to Timah.

There has been plans earlier that the government would impose a regulation banning the export of tin sands (the main product of the illegal miners), and allowing only three companies to conduct tin export including Timah, PT Kobatin and the Bangka Belitung province-owned company.(Godang)