Energy Ministry Presents Good Mining Practices Awards

MINISTRY OF ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES

REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

PRESS RELEASE

NUMBER: 349.Pers/04/SJI/2021

Date: 29 September 2021

Energy Ministry Presents Good Mining Practices Awards

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral (EMR) appreciates mining and mining services businesses which have adopted good mining practices, by conferring the 2021 Awards for Good Practices in Mineral and Coal Mining Engineering Principles.

The awards are conferred to encourage and motivate coal and mining companies and were contested in six categories, i.e. Best Award for Good Practices in Mining Engineering Principles, Good Practices in Mineral and Coal Mining Engineering Management, Good Practices in Mineral and Coal Mining Safety Management, Good Practices in Mineral and Coal Mining Environmental Management, Good Practices in Mineral and Coal Conservation Management, and Good Practices in Standardization Management and Mineral and Coal Mining Services Business.

"Thank you for organizing the awards as an event to recognize mining and mining services businesses which have made the efforts to obey technical principles, conserve resources and reserves, create safe working condition, and protect the environment by applying good mining practices," said Minister of EMR, Arifin Tasrif, during his welcome remarks at the awarding ceremony on Wednesday (29/9).

Arifin went on to say that Law Number 3 of 2020 on Amendment to Law Number 4 of 2009 on Mineral and Coal Mining mandated five basic principles in the national mineral and coal mining management, namely economic growth, energy security, elimination of resource shortage, prevention of environmental degradation, and sustainable development.

"These principles are our efforts to mitigate national and global challenges that are and will be faced by the national mining industry, for example, the number of good quality deposits of mineral and coal will decline and be located deeper underground. This will require more complex mining operations and increase safety risks," Arifin said.

In terms of economic aspect, continued Arifin, the ever-increasing costs of mining operations as well as unstable and fluctuating commodity prices require the mining industry to continuously improve efficiency and productivity amid the challenges of complex operation, safety risks, the management of environmental and social risks, and governance.

In terms of environmental management aspect, the public expects that mining business activities will be in line with the stronger efforts to protect the environment.

"The international communities also call for a shift in the development pattern to carbon neutrality through the use of new, renewable energy and the acceleration of digital technology-based economy which will significantly change our economy," Arifin said.

Arifin emphasized that the government always considered the sustainability of natural environment function and the social function of the community at the same time with economic benefits. The challenges that will be faced by the mining industry in the future will increase.

"The Ministry of EMR through Directorate General of Mineral and Coal is organizing mining activities after the issuance of Government Regulation Number 96 of 2021 on the Implementation of Mineral and Coal Mining Business Activities; (we're also) completing the other derivative regulations of Law Number 3 of 2020, which we expect will make the mineral and coal mining business successful and competitive," said Arifin.

Arifin also admitted that in an era of digital information, the government had made use of the technology for adaptive fostering and monitoring. When the mineral and coal businesses expand in the future, monitoring can still be done effectively and efficiently across all mining areas.

"I hope Directorate General of Mineral and Coal can immediately adjust and improve its monitoring device system as well as improve the competency of the monitoring officers to deal with the issues and challenges," Arifin concluded.

On the same occasion, Director General of Mineral and Coal, Ridwan Djamaluddin, said the awards showed the accountability of mining business players to the public.

"The awards show our accountability to the public that in carrying on the mining industry, we've made our best efforts to give as many benefits as we can while ensuring the safety of the people involved and protecting the environment in the long term. So, good mining practices are actually our efforts to show that we, all mining people, are accountable to the public," Ridwan concluded.

For the record, the Conferment of the Awards for Good Practices in Mineral and Coal Mining Engineering Principles is part of a series of events to celebrate the 76th Anniversary of Mining and Energy Day which fell on September 28th, 2021. The Best Award for Good Practices in Mining Engineering Principles went to PT Arutmin Indonesia of Senakin Mine, which comes in the Group of Businesses that Hold Work Agreement on Coal Mining Business, Mining Business License, and Special Mining Business License for Coal Commodity. For more information about other categories, visit the winners list of Good Mining Practices Awards. (IY)

Head of Bureau of Communication, Public Information Services, and Cooperation

Agung Pribadi (08112213555)

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