BKPM encourages gold refining to support high value-added industries

Deputy for Strategic Investment Hydrolysis of the Investment Ministry/BKPM Heldy Satrya Putera in MINDialogue in Jakarta, Wednesday (12/8/2026). (Antara - A Muzdaffar Fauzan)

JAKARTA - The Investment and Industrialization Ministry/Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) encourages the strengthening of gold downstreaming in Indonesia so that the utilization of this commodity is not only limited to jewelry and investment, but can also support high-value-added industries.

Deputy for Strategic Investment and Strategic Investment/BKPM Heldy Satrya Putera said gold is one of the commodities that are being encouraged to be used to support the development of the manufacturing industry, including the electronics and semiconductor sectors.

According to Heldy, the utilization of gold in Indonesia has so far been dominated by the needs of jewelry and investment. In fact, gold also has great potential as raw materials for various technological industries.

"Actually we use or utilize gold, processing gold is only for one, jewelry. The second we process it only for investment needs because we want to save the gold. We also make bullion in Indonesia, it is also in many other countries used for reserves and so on," said Heldy in Jakarta, Wednesday (12/8/2026).

He explained that gold is also used in the electronics industry, including in the production process of semiconductors. Although the need for gold for this sector is not as large as other raw materials, its utilization still has strategic value for the development of the technology industry.

Government Promotes Availability of Raw Materials

Heldy said the government continues to strive to ensure the availability of industrial raw materials in the country. This step is considered important to provide certainty to investors who want to build downstream industries in Indonesia.

With adequate availability of raw materials, the processing of gold commodities in the country is expected to generate greater added value while strengthening the national industrial ecosystem.

Strengthening downstream processing is also part of the government's efforts to increase the utilization of Indonesia's mineral resources so that it does not stop at mining activities and the export of raw materials.

MIND ID Supports Strengthening Foreign Exchange Reserves

Meanwhile, MIND ID President Director Maroef Sjamsoeddin expressed his support for strengthening the country's foreign exchange reserves through domestic gold production, in accordance with Bank Indonesia policies and regulations.

"Gold is a domestic production that has the potential to become a source of strategic assets that can support the strengthening of the country's foreign exchange reserves," said Maroef at the MINDialogue event entitled "Commodities for the Country: Strategies to Strengthen Mineral Reserves for Stability and Economic Sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia" in Jakarta, Wednesday.

According to him, domestic gold production not only has economic value in terms of commodities, but also has the potential to become a strategic asset for the national economy.

Deputy for Strategic Investment Hydrolysis of the Investment Ministry/BKPM Heldy Satrya Putera in MINDialogue in Jakarta, Wednesday (12/8/2026). (Antara - A Muzdaffar Fauzan)

Prabowo Reveals Gold Reserve Findings in Papua

The potential for the development of the Indonesian gold industry has also received attention after President Prabowo Subianto revealed the discovery of gold reserves and a number of other minerals in the mountainous area of Papua.

The findings came from an inter-agency expedition led by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), involving a number of universities and receiving support from the TNI.

Prabowo conveyed this information at the launch of the mandatory B50 at the KM 57 Rest Area of the Jakarta-Cikampek Toll Road, Karawang, West Java, Thursday (9/7/2026).

"Our scientific expedition has just worked, if I'm not mistaken, it has only been running for 2 or 3 weeks in the Papua mountains, a team from BRIN with several universities, assisted by the TNI, has found gold reserves and very large mineral reserves," said Prabowo.

The President also invited all parties to build optimism about the potential of natural resources and the future of Indonesia's economy.

The strengthening of gold downstream is expected to be one of the strategic steps to optimize the potential of Indonesia's mineral resources, create added value in the country, as well as support the development of national manufacturing and technology industries.

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Deputy for Strategic Investment Hydrolysis of the Investment Ministry/BKPM Heldy Satrya Putera in MINDialogue in Jakarta, Wednesday (12/8/2026). (Antara - A Muzdaffar Fauzan)