Govt to start implement coal upgrading technology regulation in 2014

The government will ban the exports of coal with calorie content of below 5,600 kcal/kg starting 2014 in order to increase coal royalties to the government, an official said Thursday.

Witoro Soelarno, the Secretary General of Minerals and Coal at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources told reporters that all low-rank coal must be processed first to enhance the calorie content before export.

According to Witoro, that the government will invite the private sector to build coal processing plants in Indonesia, or build facilities itself if no investors can be found.

Starting January 2014 the government will also ban exports of iron and lead in the form of concentrates. (*)