Ministry to set up independent team to audit smelter projects
Tuesday, February 7 2017 - 01:45 AM WIB
Petromindo|Lucky
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources will soon set up an independent team assigned to audit progress of domestic mineral smelter projects promised by mining companies.
Director General of Mineral and Coal at the ministry Bambang Gatot Ariyono said on Monday that the members of the team will be selected from institutions which have surveyor operation.
The government has recently introduced new regulations allowing mineral mining companies to continue export of mineral concentrates for another five years under certain conditions including commitment to develop domestic smelters. Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Ignasius Jonan has said that the government will audit the promised smelter projects every six months, and that the export permit of mining firms failing to show significant progress in their smelter projects will be revoked.
The government has been struggling to push miners to develop domestic smelters as mandated in the 2009 Mining Law in a bid to help the country enjoy greater value from its mineral commodities.
The ministry has previously assigned its Coal and Mineral Technology Development and Research Center (or Tekmira) to oversee the domestic smelter projects. Ministry Spokesman Sujatmiko acknowledged that Tekmira has been unable to carry out the verification process of the domestic smelter projects. He said that the independent team will make report to the ministry every six months. (*)