The Indonesian government is accelerating efforts to address the issue of blocked mineral exports due to the lack of regulation over rare earths. Recently, several enterprises have reported that some alumina and nickel products have experienced delays in export due to suspicion that they contain by-products of rare earth elements, raising concerns about the stability of Indonesia's key mineral supply.
The office of the President of Indonesia recently held a coordination meeting, demanding that government departments, law enforcement agencies and mining enterprises jointly seek solutions.
The director of the Presidential Office, Doudun Abdurahman, said that the government has received reports from several enterprises about the impact on mineral exports. The current biggest problem is that Indonesia has not yet established clear standards for "the content of rare earths in other mineral products".
Although Indonesia is a major global exporter of mineral resources, particularly in the fields of nickel, bauxite and coal, its rare earth industry is still in its early stages.
Currently, rare earths are mainly used as by-products in the processing of minerals such as nickel and aluminum. As the government hopes to prioritize the use of rare earth resources for domestic industrial development, it is strengthening relevant supervision.
Industry insiders have disclosed that the export of alumina has been affected. Alumina is an essential raw material for aluminum smelting. Some enterprises have stated that the government believes that the alumina being exported contains rare earth elements, which has led to restrictions on the transportation of the goods.
Furthermore, similar problems have emerged in the nickel industry, including nickel pig iron (NPI) used in the production of stainless steel and mixed hydroxide precipitates (MHP) used in the manufacturing of materials for new energy vehicle batteries, both of which have been affected.
The Indonesian government has emphasized that relevant departments must not impede normal trade without clear regulations, and at the same time, they need to ensure that national strategic resources are utilized rationally.
