Miners may still be allowed to export mineral ores next year

The government is currently drafting a new regulation that would still allow mining companies to continue mineral ores export next year as long as they are committed to build domestic smelters, reports said Saturday.

Vice Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Susilo Siswoutomo said that under the planned new regulation, the government would give export recommendation to the mining companies until they complete the construction of their smelters. ?Hopefully, construction of the smelters could be completed in about three years,? he said.

He added that mining companies which could not show their commitment in building smelters would still be banned from making mineral ores export starting 2014.

Susilo stressed that the government remains determined to implement the planned export ban of mineral ores starting 2014 as mandated by the 2009 mining law in a bid to generate greater value added from the mineral sector, requiring miners to build domestic smelters.

Several investors or mining companies, which have expressed intention to build domestic smelters have said that the construction of the planned smelters could not be completed before the 2014 deadline, urging the government for a dispensation allowing them to continue mineral ores export until the smelters are completed.

Susilo said that giving export recommendation to mining firms which are serious in building domestic smelters will not be in breach of the 2009 mining law. ?We?re currently drafting the legal umbrella,? he said. (*)