AETI Calls Domestic Tin Production Decreased 20 Percent, Here's The Cause!

Illustration (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

Acting Chairperson of the Indonesian Tin Exporters Association (AETI) Harwendro Adityo Dewanto revealed that in the first quarter of 2024, there was a decline in domestic lead production by up to 20 percent.

"The decline is not very significant, but in the first quarter it was almost 20 percent from previous years," Harwendro said in the Mining Zone quoted on Tuesday, May 7.

Harwendro said this decrease in productivity was caused by several factors, including legal cases which caused five tin smelters to stop operating because they were facing legal cases at the Prosecutor's Office.

Apart from legal factors, Harwendro said, other factors are licensing or Work Plan and Budget (RKAB) issues for several tin mining companies that have not been approved and issued by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM).

"There are other impacts, including licensing. Currently, those who are constrained by licensing at ESDM, many RKAB have not come out, of course, hamper productivity," he continued.

Harwendro, who is also the Director of PT Mitra Stania Prima, said that there are several steps that have been taken by the company to optimize tin productivity, one of which is by continuing to boost lead production from the company's mines.

To maximize tin production, the company also brought in the latest suction vessels imported from Thailand.

"We will also help friends who are currently having difficulties with RKAB because after all the world needs tin and RI is the largest exporter in the world so that whatever happens in Indonesia will affect globally," he explained.

Harwendro also said that previously the world's tin price had strengthened to US$35.000 per tonne because tin supply to the world market had a significant decline.

The decline in supply was caused by several factors including civil war in Myanmar and Brazilian government policies regarding mining that had a sizeable impact on the world's tin supply.

"Myanmar is the most suppliers in China, so they need a lot of them. Also the factor from Indonesia at the beginning of the year there was an election, Eid al-Fitr and we were hit by 5 smelters experiencing legal problems at the prosecutor's office," he concluded.