Government appoints PT Antam to manage mine in Nabire
Nabire (ANTARA) — The government has appointed state-owned enterprise PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) to manage the former operating area of PT Kristalin Eka Lestari in Nabire Regency, Central Papua, after the company’s mining business permit was revoked.
Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin said in Nabire on Thursday that the former mine area was expected to be handed over to Antam so that mining activities would be managed by the state.
“In the future, we will hand over management of this former mining operation area to a state-owned enterprise, in this case PT Antam,” he said.
He said he hoped Antam would act not only as an investor but also as the operator, enabling the state to manage natural resources in the area directly.
Management by a state-owned enterprise was expected to deliver tangible benefits to the public, particularly people living near the mining area, he said.
He stressed that reorganising the management of the mine was part of the government’s efforts to improve natural resource governance and ensure that state assets were used in accordance with the law.
The government previously revoked PT Kristalin Eka Lestari’s Mining Business Permit (IUP), covering 3,500 hectares, through a decision dated 12 October 2026 by the Minister of Investment and Downstreaming, in their capacity as head of the Investment Coordinating Board.
The permit was revoked after a joint team from the Forest Area Enforcement Task Force (Satgas PKH) found that the company had failed to comply with regulations on the use of forest areas.
The company had also not met its obligations to provide reclamation guarantees and carry out reclamation in accordance with legislation.
Burhanuddin said natural resource management must prioritise the interests of the public and environmental sustainability, rather than pursuing economic profit alone.
He cited Article 33(3) of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, which states that the land, waters and natural resources contained within them are controlled by the state for the greatest prosperity of the people.
He said Papua’s natural wealth must bring tangible benefits to local communities while also supporting the prosperity of Indonesians as a whole.
The government hopes the proposed management by Antam will form part of efforts to reorganise mining activities in Nabire, ensuring they comply with the law, are conducted responsibly and benefit the region and surrounding communities.