Nickel Export Tap Reopened, Here's How Businesses React

The Indonesian Nickel Industry Forum (FINI) has praised the government’s move to reopen exports of mineral commodities that had been halted for several weeks due to containing Rare Earth Elements (REE). The Presidential Staff Office (KSP) coordinated across ministries and agencies, agreeing that exports of minerals such as nickel, alumina, and tin could resume because the REE content was merely an associated mineral, not the primary commodity. FINI Chairman Arif Perdanakusumah stated that the policy provides legal and operational certainty for the processing and refining industry. He noted that since the government’s clarification, several Surveyor Reports have been issued and shipments of products abroad have resumed. Arif urged the government to promptly issue clear technical guidelines and threshold standards, ensuring regulations explicitly differentiate between commercial REE products and naturally occurring trace minerals. He emphasized that such thresholds must be based on current industry facts, technology, and economics to prevent future export disruptions. The Presidential Staff Office confirmed that the ban only applies to REE as a primary product, not to trace elements in major mining commodities and their derivatives. The government is also preparing a legal opinion from the Attorney General’s Office to strengthen legal certainty while regulations are being refined.