MEMR to revise regulation No 1/2014

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) plans to revise the appendixes in the Minister regulation No 1/2014 in a bid to help accelerate the development of mineral downstream industry in the country, Bisnis Indonesia reported on Monday.

The paper quoted Director General of Mineral and Coal R. Sukhyar as saying that the revision would allow the market for processed or refined minerals to be expanded beyond the metal industry.

He pointed out as an example that nickel and bauxite should not only be dedicated for the metal industry as in the commodities can also be utilized by the ceramics industry.

Sukhyar added that the ministry is considering allowing the export of zircon as the industry players have invested heavily but to date have not been able to export.

The government introduced an export ban of mineral ores in January of last year in a bid to push miners to develop domestic smelters to generate greater value added from the country?s mineral ores. (*)