Miners request for dispensation from export ban

A number of miners including PT Harita Prima Abadi Mineral have requested for dispensation from the government?s ban to export unprocessed ores beginning 2014, because they would not be able to complete the construction of their smelting facilities until the deadline, Kontan reported on Thursday.

Harita Prima?s senior manager for development, Ian S Soeryadipoera, said that the company had asked the government?s permission to allow it to export unprocessed ores until its smelting plant began commercial operation in 2015.

At present, Harita Prima is building a smelting plant in Ketapang, West Kalimantan to process bauxite ore into alumina .

Another miner PT Central Omega Resources had also asked for dispensation from the unprocessed ore export ban. Like Harita, Central Omega is also building a smelting plant, which will be able to begin operation late 2014 or in 2015.

The energy and mineral resources ministry said that the government would no longer allow export of unprocessed ores beginning in January, 2014 as stipulated in the mining law.

Dede Ida Suhendra, the director for mining development at the ministry, said that all miners would no longer be able to export unprocessed ore, even for those whose smelting plants were still under construction. (*)