Indonesia has announced its intention to cease exporting copper concentrates once Freeport Indonesia and Amman Mineral Internasional complete the construction of their smelters next year.

President Joko Widodo emphasized that with the establishment of these two major smelting facilities, raw copper exports would be replaced by domestic processing into copper cathodes. He anticipates that both smelters will commence production in May 2024.

Following the success of nickel, copper is poised to become Indonesia's next focal point in its drive towards increased onshore refining, aiming to elevate the country's position in the commodities value chain.

The government has faced delays in implementing its export ban plans on several occasions, primarily due to the local branch of Freeport McMoRan Inc., the world's leading copper producer, repeatedly seeking extensions for the completion of its smelter, which commenced construction in 2021.

In a recent development, Indonesia has granted Freeport and Amman export recommendations, permitting them to continue shipping copper concentrates until their smelters are finalized.

This temporary allowance acknowledges the progress made in establishing the necessary processing infrastructure and ensures a smooth transition towards a fully domestic copper refining industry.

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Source: https://www.mining.com/web/indonesia-to-ban-copper-exports-once-freeport-amman-plants-open/