Copper – Nickel – Tin: Indonesia expects exports to slow down

According to President Joko Widodo, Indonesia is planning to ‘curb’ the export of all raw materials in a bid to attract investment in processing onshore resources and create jobs.

Indonesia has banned a number of exports of unprocessed minerals, including nickel, tin and copper, in a bid to encourage downstream industries, including battery production for electric vehicles and the aluminium industry.

The government is currently conducting a study into downstreaming other raw materials with a long-term goal of no longer just selling raw materials.

Under current regulations, Indonesia will ban bauxite shipments in 2023. “We really want to curb the export of raw materials because there is no value addition and it doesn’t create jobs,” the president reported, adding that the policy will cover “all raw materials”.

Indonesia is the world’s largest exporter of palm oil, thermal coal and tin. It is also the largest exporter of rubber and copper, among others.

Of the 34 million tonnes of palm oil exports in 2020, 21% were in crude form.