Indonesia considers reopening bauxite exports

Indonesia plans to review its bauxite export ban policy following a request from lawmakers to reopen shipments of the raw material for aluminum, news site Bisnis.com reported, citing a mining ministry spokesperson.

Indonesia banned exports of bauxite in mid 2023 to encourage domestic processing of the minerals, a move that a miners group said could harm them due to the limited processing capacity available.

“There will be a review and inter-ministerial coordination,” Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry spokesperson Agus Cahyono Adi told Bisnis.com.

The spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Reuters.

Lawmakers during a meeting with the mining ministry earlier this week had asked the government to reassess the ban and reopen shipments to help revive the economies of areas that rely on bauxite mining activities.