Over 6,200 IUPs have obtained C&C status

By Thomas Sembiring

Warta Minerba|Thomas

Director General of Mineral and Coal at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Bambang Gatot Ariyono said that as per January 30, a total of 6,230 IUP mining business licenses have obtained the so-called clean and clear certification (C&C) from the ministry.

Speaking at a coffee morning gathering with mining industry players on Thursday, Bambang said that 3,203 IUPs are still with non-C&C status.

The government over the past few years has been struggling to clean up the problematic IUP mining permits in the country issued by regional governments after they obtained regional autonomy power. Many of the permits turned problematic among others due to overlapping problem including with forest areas, and lack proper documentations, and that the miners failed to pay their financial obligations to the state properly.

The provincial governments have been given authority to sort out the mess by giving recommendation which IUPs should be declared as clean and clear, meaning that the miners have met all the required documents and fulfilled their financial obligations to the state and that the permits are not overlapping with other permits or forest areas, and which should be revoked.

Those failing to meet the C&C status will be revoked by the government. But deadlines have often been missed. In December of last year, Bambang gave regional governments until January 2 of this year to give the C&C recommendation to the ministry.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak