New mining bill to be submitted to House next month: official

The ministry of mineral resources and energy has completed the drafting of the new mining law, which would be submitted to the House of Representatives in July to be debated, according to a ministry official.

Head of the ministry?s legal office TA Nurwinakun said that the draft of the law was still being reviewed by other related ministries.

The new mining law will replace the existing Mining Law No. 12/1967. The country?s mining industry has called for a new mining law because the existing law, which gives the central government the rights of supervising and managing the country?s mining resources, was considered no longer applicable following the implementation of the autonomy law, which transfers the rights to the regional authorities.

Sources said that according to the new mining bill, the mineral resources were classified into six categories compared to only three under the 1967 mining law.

The new mining bill also classified mining license into two categories: the mining operation license, and people?s mining license. The bill also stipulates that mining investors are obliged to protect the environment and to implement land reclamation.(R. Amoros)