Indonesia approved export permits for two tin smelters in the Bangka-Belitung islands, its key source of tin, bringing the number of smelters allowed to export the metal to 27, a trade ministry official told Reuters on Friday. The new companies added to the list are PT Artha Cipta Langgeng and PT Timah Nusantara.
Two new permits were also issued in April. To qualify, companies have to meet three main criteria: the production of 99.85% tin metal; payment of 3% royalty and sourcing of concentrates from legitimate mining operations. The export licencing scheme was introduced in February 2007. In the twelve months to April 2009 the ministry’s surveyors checked 86,393 tonnes of tin prior to export.
