RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The government is expediting the development of policies that govern the management of rare earth elements (LTJ) found in mining products. This step is being taken to provide legal certainty for businesses, standardize the supervision of critical mineral exports, and strengthen the downstream agenda while increasing the added value of Indonesia's mineral resources.

Presidential Chief of Staff Dudung Abdurachman said that the government is revising regulations on exporting mining products containing rare earth metals as associated minerals. The regulatory refinements also include establishing a common understanding among ministries and institutions to eliminate differences in interpretation and implementation.

"Yes, it has been possible since yesterday, if I'm not mistaken. We are simultaneously revising the Ministerial Regulation," said Dudung during a press conference at the Bina Graha Building in the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Monday, August 3, 2026.

According to Dudung, the government has begun accelerating the determination of the LTJ content threshold for exportable mining products. This topic was discussed at a coordination meeting of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs involving 47 participants from ministries, institutions, academia, associations, and businesses.

“Today, the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs is holding a coordination meeting to discuss recommendations for LTJ content limits for exportable products,” he said.

Topics covered included the definition of associated minerals, content limits for each rare earth element, laboratory testing methods, and the verification mechanism for Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) regulations. The government is developing guidelines for surveyor reports to ensure a uniform export verification process.

To strengthen legal certainty during the regulatory refinement process, the government is seeking a legal opinion from the Attorney General's Office. "The government is preparing a legal opinion from the Attorney General's Office to strengthen legal certainty during the regulatory refinement process," Dudung said.

He emphasized that the regulatory refinement aims to ensure that supervision and law enforcement are based on clear regulations so businesses that have complied with the requirements are not at a disadvantage due to differing interpretations.

"Businesses that have complied with the provisions should not be disadvantaged due to differing interpretations," he said.

As regulations are refined, the government is ensuring that exports of mining products containing rare earth elements as associated minerals will resume. Previously, differences in regulatory interpretation among Customs and Excise, surveyors, and law enforcement had led to the detention of more than 100 export vessels, particularly those carrying alumina, copper cathodes, and nickel derivative products containing rare earth metals.

In the long term, the government will strengthen resource exploration, research, and rare earth elements separation technology to build a domestic rare earth elements industrial chain. This policy is expected to increase the added value of national minerals while strengthening the competitiveness of Indonesia's strategic industries.

Previously, President Prabowo Subianto emphasized that Indonesia is one of the world's largest producers of various strategic minerals, including rare earth elements. According to the President, these resource riches must be managed to provide greater economic benefits to the community by strengthening downstream processing and developing domestic industries.

"We are one of the largest producers of important minerals, copper, tin, gold, and rare earth metals. However, we must acknowledge that for too long, our wealth has not been fully utilized for the prosperity of the people," said President Prabowo in his address at the Pancasila Day ceremony in Jakarta on June 1, 2026. (Misni Parjiati-EN)