Minister says Agincourt may resume Martabe operations pending review
Tuesday, March 17 2026 - 09:31 AM WIB
Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said PT Agincourt Resources, operator of the Martabe gold mine, could resume operations from an environmental standpoint, although a final decision on its status remains pending further evaluation.
Speaking to reporters in Jakarta on Monday evening, Hanif said environmental audits are underway for several companies operating in flood-affected areas of North Sumatra.
“Agincourt’s environmental assessment is already very solid. Based on a recent limited meeting with the Forest Area Control Task Force (Satgas PKH), we allowed operations to continue, provided the ongoing environmental audit is completed,” he said.
Hanif, who also heads the Environmental Control Agency, said the audit findings must be integrated into the company’s environmental documentation, similar to the approach applied to PT Gag Nikel in Raja Ampat. Companies that fail to properly carry out audits risk having their environmental permits revoked.
“For Agincourt, based on our technical assessment, operations are permissible. However, the final determination will depend on further evaluation by the team,” he said, adding that the process would be conducted transparently.
Read also: Agincourt awaits state audit over Martabe mine permit
The review is part of a broader evaluation covering coal and mineral extraction activities nationwide, led by the Environment Ministry and the Environmental Control Agency.
“Environmental reinforcement measures are being formulated through audits. We are applying the same treatment to all companies, not only Agincourt,” Hanif said.
Separately, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said there had been no administrative follow-up on a previously announced plan to revoke Agincourt’s mining permit.
He added that the government is expected to announce the official status of the Martabe mine next week, speaking at the Indonesia Economic Outlook 2026 held in Jakarta on Friday.
The Martabe mine was among 28 forestry, plantation and mining permits in Sumatra that the government said in January it would revoke following recommendations from the Forest Area Control Task Force. Authorities alleged the companies had breached forest area utilization rules in regions linked to hydrometeorological disasters that contributed to flooding in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra late last year.
Agincourt is an indirect subsidiary of PT Astra International Tbk through PT United Tractors Tbk. The planned permit revocation has raised concerns over investment certainty, prompting the government to review the decision.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak