AS Minati Mineral Kritis Indonesia, Airlangga Ungkap Danantara Sudah Jalin Komunikasi

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated that the United States (US) request to obtain access to Indonesia's critical minerals has entered the stage of discussing implementation.

The request is part of the continuation of negotiations in trade agreement negotiations between Indonesia and the US.

The trade agreement is targeted to be completed in January 2026, coinciding with the plan for a meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and US President Donald Trump to sign the agreement.

In addition, this negotiation is a continuation of the previous joint statement which agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariff for Indonesia from 32 percent to 19 percent.

For information, critical minerals are commodities that have a strategic role for the national economy as well as national defense and security.

This mineral has the risk of supply disruption and has not yet had a technically and economically viable substitution. The provision is regulated in the Decree of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Number 296.K/MB.01/MEM.B/2023 concerning the Determination of Types of Commodities that are Classified in the Classification of Critical Minerals. Examples of critical minerals include aluminum, nickel, lithium and rare earth metals.

Regarding access to critical minerals, Airlangga explained that the Anagata Nusantara Power Investment Management Agency (BPI Danantara) had communicated with export-import institutions in the United States.

In addition, he added that a number of US companies have also begun to establish direct contact with critical mineral suppliers in Indonesia.

"Of course, the critical minerals have been discussed between Danantara and its export agencies in America and there are also American companies that have talked to critical mineral companies in Indonesia. So that is access to critical minerals provided by the government," said Airlangga at a press conference at Pondok Indah Mal, Friday, December 26.

According to Airlangga, the government in principle opens access to the US through a business-to-business cooperation scheme.

"Yes, of course, if it is a business to business with the United States, of course the United States is also a company interested in that sector," he explained.

Airlangga added that the exchange of critical mineral resources between Indonesia and the United States is actually not new.

He gave an example of the existence of PT Freeport Indonesia which has been operating for a long time and has an affiliation with an American company, Freeport McMoRan, which supplies copper to America.

"Well, we have also monitored that one of the critical minerals is copper, where American companies have invested since 1967, namely Freeport McMorran. So for Indonesia, critical minerals and America are something that has been carried out. So it's not something new," he explained.

In addition to copper, he added that the government is also looking at the potential for opening access to other critical minerals, such as nickel, bauxite, and rare earth minerals.

"Rare earth we are also still in the process. It is a product of Timah," said Airlangga.

He emphasized that critical minerals are currently needed for various strategic industrial sectors, ranging from automotive, aviation, to the defense industry.

"For all of them, they need access because it is for automotive, for airplanes, for rockets, for military defense equipment," he said.

He added that the details of commodities in the trade agreement with the United States were already in the executive order.

"Actually, the one for commodities is already in the executive order, Nah, only if for Indonesia, later, several other commodities will be added, including palm oil," he explained.