Ministry proposes to drop export duty on anode slime

Petromindo

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) is considering to propose to the Ministry of Finance to drop the current export duty on anode slime next year.

Minister of Finance Regulation No 59/2016 defines anode slime as a by-product of copper concentrates, thus is subject to a five percent export duty.

Director General of Mineral and Coal at the MEMR Bambang Gatot Ariyono said on Tuesday that the ministry plans to propose a new regulation that would define anode slime as a product from refining process, and thus should not be subject to export duty. He expected the new regulation to be issued next year.

IDX-listed mining firm PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (Antam), gold and copper giant PT Freeport Indonesia, and copper smelter operator PT Smelting have signed a MoU to team up to develop a precious metal refinery in Gresik, East Java, to produce gold and other precious metals from anode slime.

Antam Corporate Secretary Trenggono Sutioso was quoted by Kontan as saying that a more definitive agreement on the planned anode slime smelter project is expected within the next one or two months.

Meanwhile, Bisnis Indonesia quoted Antam President Director Tedy Badrujaman said that his company is ready to proceed with the project if Freeport and Smelter decide to cancel the plan. Antam has previously planned to build a precious metal refinery with capacity of 2,000 tons of anode slime per year in East Jakarta. (*)