Group challenges new mining regulations

A non-government grouping called Civilian Community Coalition is challenging the government?s new mining regulations which allow miners to continue export of mineral concentrates, low grade nickel ores and washed bauxite.

The group is expected to file a lawsuit with the Supreme Court Thursday as it seeks to overturn the new mining policy, which it says is in breach of the 2009 Mining Law, Kontan reported.

The government in January of this year issued a new Government Regulation No 1/2017 and two implementing Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources rulings Ministerial Regulation No 5/2017 and Ministerial Regulation No 6/2017 that essentially allows miners to continue export of mineral concentrates, low grade nickel ores with purity of less than 1.7 percent and washed bauxite with purity of less than 42 percent for another five years under certain conditions.

The paper quoted Director at Center for Indonesian Resources Strategic Studies, Budi Santoso as saying that the move to challenge the new mining policy through the Supreme Court will create uncertainty for miners planning to make export. (*)