PT Freeport Indonesia has not exported concentrate since its export permit expired on January 11, 2017. The export quota for concentrate granted by the government to Freeport since August 2016 was 1.4 million tons. This figure increased every six months. Previously, the export quota for concentrate from January to August 2016 was 1 million tons, and from July 2015 to January 2016 it was 775,000 tons.
The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Ignasius Jonan, will issue a temporary export permit for concentrate to PT Freeport Indonesia. This follows Freeport's application to change its contract of work into a special mining business license (IUPK). According to Jonan, one reason the government is issuing a temporary export permit is to minimize risks. Besides potentially disrupting the regional economy, the suspension of the export permit is feared to lead to layoffs.
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