The Bangka Belitung provincial administration seeks expedited approval for community mining permits (IPR) from tin mining blocks that have recently been designated as areas for community mining (WPR) amid the decline in tin exports from the province in the last three months.
“Psychologically, we (local government) want it fast because we see an extraordinarily sharp decline in exports. Even in January 2024, there was zero export,” Acting Governor of Bangka Belitung, Safrizal ZA, told a hearing with the House of Representatives’ (DPR) Commission VII in Jakarta, on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
Safrizal cited that the environmental impact analysis (AMDAL) are among the obstacles in applying for IPR. The reason being, these requirements have not been clearly detailed as prerequisites for applying for mining permits from several community tin mining blocks.
“Several issues that need to be resolved include environmental documents, what form they take, and who decides,” he said.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has designated 123 WPR blocks covering an area of 8,568 hectares (ha) in the Bangka Belitung Province.
This determination was signed by the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Arifin Tasrif, through a Decree on Mining Areas per Province throughout Indonesia on April 21, 2022. However, as of now, no IPR has been issued in Bangka Belitung.
East Belitung Regent, Burhanudin, said that the economy in his region has come to a standstill due to the decline in tin exports earlier this year. He hopes that with the issuance of IPR, community-owned tin mines can be subsequently purchased by PT Timah (TINS). “Meanwhile, PT Timah only accommodates WPR within the Tin IUP, which is very limited,” said Burhanudin.
