Timah gets tin export license

Government has approved a tin export permit for state tin miner firm PT Timah Tbk under new export rules, the company's president director said on Friday.

The new rules, which include verification of the source of tin ore by a government-appointed surveyor and checks on the purity of the ingots, are effective from Friday.

"The export permit has been issued by the trade ministry and our office in Jakarta has received it," Thobrani Alwi said.

"We can start shipment next week. We target to export more than 5,000 tonnes of tin in March,? he said.

Alwi said Indonesia was likely produce less tin this year from its average output of around 120,000 tonnes a year before the crackdown on the small smelters.

"I believe that about 80,000 tonnes of tin will be churned out this year."

Meanwhile, Aang Kanaan Adikusumah, director export of mining products at the trade ministry, confirmed the approval of PT Timah as a registered tin exporter.

"There are eight companies that have submitted applications to register as tin exporters, but only the application from PT Timah has been approved," Adikusumah told reporters.

"Consequently, only Timah is allowed to export. But the process is still ongoing, so we may approve export permits for other companies," he said.

The trade ministry said tin miner PT Koba Tin also has submitted an application to register as a tin exporter and the ministry was reviewing this along with six other companies. (*)