Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Republic of Indonesia has resumed exports of nearly 400,000 metric tons of mineral commodities worth about US$124 million after the government resolved a regulatory dispute over the treatment of rare earth elements (REEs).
The shipments, including alumina hydroxide and alumina oxide from West Kalimantan, had been delayed by differing interpretations of regulations governing REE content in mineral products, Presidential Chief of Staff General (Ret.) Dudung Abdurachman said.
“The prohibition does not automatically apply to REE content that is present only as an accompanying element or associated mineral in primary mining products and their derivatives,” Abdurachman said at a ceremony marking the departure of an export shipment from Dwikora Port in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, on Friday.
The government’s resolution followed coordination between ministries and agencies led by the Presidential Staff Office (KSP), resulting in common guidance for exporters, surveyors, customs officials, and other authorities during the regulatory transition, Abdurachman said.
Indonesia’s inspection and certification company PT Sucofindo has since been given legal certainty to issue 85 Surveyor Reports that had previously been held up, he said.
With the issuance of these documents, more than 100 export vessels that had been held up have now resumed operations, carrying nearly 400,000 tons of mineral commodities with a free-on-board value of approximately US$124 million.
In addition, around 80,000 tons of other mineral commodities are still undergoing verification by PT Sucofindo, bringing the total volume of mineral commodities processed following the resolution of the regulatory bottleneck to nearly 471,000 tons.
Abdurachman said the government would continue to enforce strict controls on mineral exports despite the resumption of shipments.
All export commodities must meet laboratory testing, technical verification, safety, and administrative requirements, he said.
For commodities containing naturally occurring radioactive elements, exports remain permitted as long as the content falls under the category of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) and all safety and regulatory requirements are met.
The government is also preparing to seek a legal opinion from Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office as it works to provide greater legal certainty while the regulations are being revised.
The proposed regulatory changes include clearer definitions of associated minerals, thresholds for elemental content, laboratory testing methods, verification procedures, operational rules for NORM, and technical guidelines for issuing Surveyor Reports.
Pewarta: Maria Galuh, Kuntum Khaira
Editor : Vicki Febrianto
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