Indonesia mining sector calls for clearer rules on rare‑earth mineral exports

The Indonesian Mining Association (IMA) warned that new interpretations of export reporting obligations are hindering shipments of minerals that contain trace amounts of rare‑earth elements (LTJ). IMA Executive Director Sari Esayanti said the testing and identification systems for LTJ are still immature and that exporters need standardized reporting methods, clear technical parameters and a uniform testing methodology. She stressed that “the current situation is not merely an export error but shows challenges in the identification, testing and regulation of by‑product minerals.”

Energy‑focused analysts echoed these concerns. Bisman Bakhtiar, director of the Centre for Energy and Mining Law Studies (Pushep), noted that vague definitions and threshold limits for LTJ create legal uncertainty, raise logistics costs and could deter investment in downstream processing. Economist Syafruddin Karimi added that investors may postpone smelter projects or shift processing abroad if export rules remain unpredictable. Both parties urged the government to issue clear definitions, thresholds and monitoring mechanisms to avoid trade disruptions and protect Indonesia’s mining reputation.