JAKARTA, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Companies compliant with the Indonesian existing regulations on energy and mineral resources are permitted to do overseas trading of nickel ores until January 2020 after the government revoked the temporary ban on the silvery-white metal export announced last week.
Last Tuesday, the government announced the ban to be applied for around two weeks amid an investigation into alleged violations of the nickel ore export rules by companies.
The ban was later criticized by some mining companies and experts, saying that the government was being inconsistent with the 2019 ministerial decree No. 11, issued by the Energy and Mineral Ministry, stipulating the official start date of ban on nickel ore export, which is January 1, 2020.
Following the disapproval, Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan who also oversees the energy sector, told reporters on Thursday evening that the ban has been lifted for companies compliant with the existing regulations.
Earlier, the senior minister said that the government had found a surge in nickel ore exports during the past two months.
The number of monthly shipment had tripled or become 100-130 export cargoes per month from around 30 cargoes per month, which is the regular number of monthly shipment according to Pandjaitan.
