The rather Hot Issues being discussed involving General Mining Companies in Indonesia, are relating to the recent Government Policy and Rulings that General Mining Companies operating in Indonesia are no longer permitted to
as determined by the Government of Indonesia through a Smelter Processing Plant
For example if we talk about PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), who is conducting General Mining operations in Indonesia, than based on Article 10 paragraph 5 of PT FI Contract of Work ("PT FI's COW"), it regulates that the Company (PT Freeport
Indonesia ("PT FI") acknowledges the Government's Policy to encourage the domestic processing of all of its natural resources into final products where feasible. The Company further acknowledges the Government desire that a copper smelter and refinery be established in Indonesia and agrees that it will make available copper concentrates derived from the Contract Area for such smelter and refinery so established in Indonesia as provided below.
.......In the event that during the five period commencing on the signing of this Agreement, a copper smelter and refinery facility to be located in Indonesia has not been established or is not in the process of being constructed by any Person, the, subject to the mutual determination by the Government and the Company as to the economic viability of such smelter and refinery, the Company shall undertake or cause to undertaken the establishment of a copper and smelter refinery in Indonesia to comply with the Policy of the Government.
As implementation of this provision, PT FI
through its affiliates PT Smelting Gresik in Surabaya had constructed
the Smelter Processing Plant, whereby Mitshubishi Materials owned 60.5 % and PT FI owner 25%, Mishubishi Corporation 9.5% and Nippon Mining and Metals Co owned 5% of the Equity/Shares issued by PT Smelting Gresik. Chiyoda had constructed this Smelter Plant Facilities in the amount of USD 500 Million.
The feedstock smelter is shipped from Freport Grassberg which distance around
2,600 Kilometer from the Smelter Facilities
which is closed to Petrokimia Gresik, a Government Fertilizer, who used
smelter sufuric acid, and this was the prime reason why the Smelter
Gresik was build in this Location.
http://www.mmc.co.jp/sren/Gresik.htm
The copper smelting and refining complex consists of the smelter
itself, which produces copper anodes and process off-gasses high in SO2,
the sulfur acid plant, the tankhouse and any other infrastructure
within the Site Boundary, including waste water plant, jetty and wharf
and material handling facilities.
We observe that Gresik Smelting Facilities processed 40% of PT FI Copper Mining products output,
while the remaining 60% of PT FI's contrates output are exported, In implementing this provision of the COW, Mitsubishi together with PT Freeport Indonesia had developed PT Smelting Gresik in Gresik Surabaya, in the Year 1997,
operated by PT Mitsubishi and PT FI, whereby a certain
long term agreement between PT Freeport Indonesia as a General Cooper
Mining Company and this Gresik Smelter Processing Plant to process the
Cooper Mining Product to produce copper cathode. PT Smelting Gresik takes in 40 % of PT FI output and export the remaining 60% out-put of PT FI's raw concentrate ore.
In the recent latest progress, PT FI had halted the production of concentrates
since February 10, 2017
waiting to receive the Export Permit from the Government of Indonesia to
export ores and concentrates.We observe that PT FI will only be
allowed to Export such Concentrate Ores if PT FI agree to
convert the
COW into IUPK (Particular Mining Business Permit). As we understand the
Government of Indonesia had issued new regulations, among others the Presidential Decree
No.1 Year 2017, whereby these New
Regulations permits the continuation of copper concentrate exports
for a
five (5) Year period through January 2022, subject to certain
pre-conditions to be fulfilled by the Mining Companies operating in Indonesia.
Well, in reality, PT FI as other business Mining Companies, are focusing more on the Profit oriented approaches, whereby the Government of Indonesia, has the more broader and wider task to Optimize, manage and ensure that the remaining National Resources owned by the People of the Republic of Indonesia are being extracted, explored, exploited and produced for the Most Beneficial Interest to increase and guarantee the Social Welfare of the whole entire people of the Republic of Indonesia.
In other words each and every step taken by the Government of Indonesia represented by the
President as well as the
Ministerial level of the
Energy and Mineral Natural Resources Department ("ESDM") are to be taken for the National Interest of the Republic of Indonesia, particularly to gain more
Added Value of the Mineral National Resources as the
National Asset of the Republic of Indonesia.
In this Open, Transparency, Democratic Area, the
entire people of Indonesia are controlling, monitoring each and every step and action taken by the Government, the
People's Representative in the Parliament (DPR) in managing, developing, and making policies and rulings on the Mineral Natural Resources, which based on the Basic Principals under the
Indonesian Constitution Basic Law, which is Article 33 (3) of the Undang-Undang Dasar 1945 (the 1945 Basic Law Constitution), such Remaining
Mineral National Resources, which are owned by the People of the Republic of Indonesia, must be
managed, developed, produced for the
Social Welfare of the Entire People of the Republic of Indonesia.
This concept of Mineral Natural Resources Title Ownership being posses and owned by the People of the Republic of Indonesia, differs from the concept of Legal Title Ownership on the Mineral Natural Resources, adopted by several Western Countries, whereby Individual or Private company (ies) are given the Legal Right Title Ownership on the Mineral National Resources found, extracted in the location under or below the Surface Land owned by the Individual or Private Company (ies) in such specific country.
This difference Concept of Mineral Natural Title Ownership, for sure creates differences of policies and rulings taken by the Government and Legislative in approaching, handling, managing the exploration, exploitation and producing of the Mineral Natural Resources between Country to Countries. Accordingly, General Mining Investors who are interested to Invest their Mining Business in Indonesia must be fully aware of this Differences Concept, especially in this New Transparent, Openness, Democratic Era occurring in Indonesia, for which for sure National Interest will also play a significant important role in shaping the trend of Policies and rulings in the Mineral Natural Resources Sectors.
Jakarta, 15 April 2017
Agung Supomo Suleiman
Independent Business Lawyer's View
Snapshot Artikel Hukum AgsS Law