JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS – The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) is set to issue a relaxation export permit for PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) regarding copper concentrate exports. This decision will come in the form of a revision to the existing ministerial regulation.

Dadan Kusdiana, the Secretary-General of ESDM, confirmed that the new regulation is currently in the harmonization process and is awaiting approval from the Ministry of Law. “We are finalizing the regulation; it’s currently in line with the Ministry of Law,” Kusdiana stated in an interview at the Ministry on February 28, 2025.

The purpose of the regulatory revision is to allow Freeport to resume its copper concentrate exports, which had been halted following a significant fire at its smelting facility in Gresik, East Java, in October 2024. The fire severely damaged the facility, which is vital for the company’s operations.

The smelter is expected to restart its operations by the end of June 2025, with production gradually ramping up to full capacity by the end of the year. The permit is expected to be valid until June 2025, contingent on the completion of repairs to the smelter.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, explained that the revision of the regulation stems from the classification of the fire as an “extraordinary event” or keadaan kahar. The government reviewed reports from insurance companies and police, concluding that the fire qualifies as such an event, thus justifying the relaxation of export restrictions. “Based on these assessments, the government decided to extend the export period for Freeport until the smelter is fully operational, which should be by June,” Bahlil said.

YouTube player