RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is intensifying its strategic role in advancing mineral downstreaming through the development of rare earth elements (REE). Amid rising global demand for REE in high-tech industries, Indonesia remains dependent on imports despite its significant domestic reserves.

BRIN’s Mineral Technology Research Center Researcher Heru Agung Saputra revealed that Indonesia’s REE potential is spread across regions such as Bangka Belitung, Mamuju, and Kalimantan. However, REE-bearing minerals like monazite and xenotime are still largely exported as raw materials with relatively low economic value.

According to Heru, this situation presents both a challenge and an opportunity for BRIN to increase value through extraction and refining research. “If processing can be done domestically, the economic value will be much higher compared to simply exporting raw materials,” he said during Lab Indonesia 2026 at ICE BSD, South Tangerang, on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, as quoted on BRIN's official website.

Through ongoing research, BRIN scientists have succeeded in separating several individual REE elements from monazite and xenotime minerals. These elements play crucial roles in strategic applications, including industrial catalysts, permanent magnets, and electronic components found in mobile phones, cameras, and LCD screens. REEs are also key components in battery development and defense technologies.

Currently, research remains focused on mineral exploration and extraction. However, efforts toward downstream development are gaining momentum through applications in batteries and chemical sensors. BRIN is also opening opportunities for collaboration with research centers and universities to expand REE utilization across various technological sectors.

“For other applications, we are still exploring, and we welcome collaboration with research centers and universities to broaden their use,” Heru said.

He emphasized that strengthening REE research aligns with Indonesia’s broader mineral downstreaming agenda. With integrated domestic processing, Indonesia has strong potential to transform from a raw material supplier into a competitive producer of high-value technology in the global market. ***