Indonesia's Parliament Approves Controversial Mining Law Amendment

Indonesia's parliament has passed a bill revising its mining law to promote the development of domestic mineral processing industries and regulate mining permits for small businesses and religious groups. The amendment aims to ensure ore supply security while encouraging participation from smaller-scale firms, addressing a long-standing need within the resource-rich nation. Under the new regulations, companies focused on building processing facilities will gain priority access to mining concessions. Additionally, religious groups and small to medium-sized businesses can now access certain mining areas, a privilege previously reserved for state-owned enterprises. This legislative change follows a constitutional court order to amend articles deemed unconstitutional in the old law. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia stated that the amendment aligns with the government's goal to reform governance within the mineral and coal mining sectors.