Nine mining firms obtain export permit
Saturday, February 22 2014 - 04:12 AM WIB
Nine mineral mining companies have obtained necessary export permit from the Ministry of Trade, according to Director General for Foreign Trade at the ministry, Bachrul Chairy.
Bachrul said on Friday that the nine mining companies have been given the export permit because they have refined their mining products in line with the existing regulations.
The nine mining firms are PT Aneka Tambang, PT Vale Indonesia, PT Smelting Indonesia, PT Indoferro, PT Anugerah Nusantara Sejahtera, PT Global Multi Tambang, PT J. Resources Bolaang Mongondow, PT Long Xin Group Resources, and PT Nusa Halmahera Mineral, he said.
The government introduced on January 12 the long-planned export on mineral ores, but giving a reprieve to six mineral concentrates including copper, allowing them to be sold overseas until 2017, when necessary domestic smelters are expected to be completed. Nickel and bauxite ores, two of the country?s most important minerals can no longer be exported unless they?re refined first at home.
Koran Tempo reported on Saturday that PT Vale Indonesia, for instance, has already refined its entire nickel output at its four smelters in South Sulawesi which have a combined annual capacity of 70,000 tons. Aneka Tambang operates three ferronickel smelters.
Meanwhile, Koran Tempo said that mining giants PT Freeport Indonesia and PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara have yet to obtain the necessary export permits for their copper concentrates.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak