Extension of Concentrate Export Permit is a Form of Government Support for the Mining Industry

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Director of Indonesia Miner Dimas Abdillah said that the extension of the export permit for concentrate and anode mud until December 2024 is a form of government support for the related mining industry.

"What is clear is that the government supports our industry," said Dimas after the opening of Indonesia Miner 2024 in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, June 4.

Dimas considered that the extension of the export permit was the right step to support the productivity of the mining industry.

With the extension of the permit, said Dimas, production can be absorbed as long as the smelter is still being prepared to process the resulting concentrate.

"The plan is, (the smelter) may not be enough for all production (concentrate) to be absorbed, so rather than losing production, I think (the export extension) is right," said Dimas.

Previously, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) officially extended the export permit for concentrate and anode sludge until December 2024 through the Regulation of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (Permen ESDM) Number 6 of 2024.

"This regulation provides an opportunity for business entities that have entered the commissioning stage in the construction of refining facilities or smelters to export anode sludge and processed concentrate, until December 31, 2024," said Head of the Bureau of Communication, Public Information Services, and Cooperation (KLIK) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Agus Cahyono Adi in Jakarta, Friday (31/5).

The extension of the concentrate export period, said Agus, is in accordance with the direction of President Joko Widodo who considers the continuity of production and the achievement of industrial downstreaming, so that it can contribute to economic growth.

ESDM Ministerial Regulation Number 6 of 2024 was followed by Trade Ministerial Regulation Number 10 of 2024 concerning Amendments to Trade Ministerial Regulation Number 22 of 2023 concerning Goods Prohibited for Export, the ban was enforced back from June 1 2024 to December 31, 2024.

The Ministry of Trade also revised the Minister of Trade Regulation Number 23 of 2023 concerning Export Policy and Regulation by issuing the Minister of Trade Regulation Number 11 of 2024 concerning Amendments to the Minister of Trade Regulation Number 23 of 2023 concerning Export Policy and Regulation.

One of the changes is the relaxation for laterite iron concentrate, copper concentrate, zinc concentrate, lead concentrate, and anode mud commodities, namely that exports can be carried out until December 31, 2024.