Indonesia Considers Adding More Minerals to Export Ban List

15 hours ago 11

February 14, 2026 | 01:19 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said the government is considering expanding the list of mining commodities prohibited from raw export as part of efforts to accelerate Indonesia’s mineral downstreaming program.

“Last year, we banned bauxite exports, and in the coming years we are reviewing several other commodities, including tin,” Bahlil said at the Indonesia Economic Outlook 2026 forum in Jakarta on Friday, February 13, 2026.

He argued that limiting raw material exports has proven effective in boosting investment in domestic processing industries. Bahlil cited the nickel sector as an example, where the closure of nickel ore exports led to a sharp increase in added value.

According to him, the export value of Indonesia’s nickel derivative products stood at US$3.3 billion in 2017. After the government imposed a ban on nickel ore exports in 2020, the export value of processed nickel products rose significantly, reaching US$33.9 billion in 2024.

Bahlil said the policy has created opportunities for investors to develop smelters and processing facilities within the country. He stressed that Indonesia must ensure its natural resources generate maximum benefit for the domestic economy.

As head of the government’s Downstreaming Task Force, Bahlil said he has coordinated with Rosan Roeslani, chief executive of Danantara, to speed up the implementation of downstream projects.

He noted that 18 priority commodities have been submitted and are expected to move forward within the next two to three months, with additional commodities currently under preparation.

Indonesia has already banned exports of several raw minerals, including nickel, bauxite, iron ore, and gold. The policy is based on Law No. 3 of 2020 on Mineral and Coal Mining, which requires minerals to be processed and refined domestically before they can be exported.

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