Indonesia strategic mineral export reform

In late July 2026 Indonesia’s government began a coordinated push to overhaul export controls on strategic minerals and rare‑earth elements. On 28 July, Chief of Staff Dudung Abdurachman convened a high‑level meeting with ministries, law‑enforcement agencies, exporters and other stakeholders, demanding a more flexible, transparent framework and criticizing officials and military personnel for unjustified export restrictions.

A few days later, the Indonesian Mining Association and other industry experts warned that the new regulatory interpretations were still vague, especially regarding trace rare‑earth content (LTJ). They called for standardized reporting, clear technical thresholds and uniform testing methods, arguing that uncertainty could raise logistics costs, deter investment and push downstream processing abroad. The sector’s feedback highlighted the need for precise definitions as the government’s reform effort progressed.