Indonesia is not formally discussing a suggestion from the Industry Ministry to tax exports of coal and minerals Bloomberg reported, following interviews with government and industry officials. The clarification came following reports yesterday that the ministry was considering export taxes of 25% or 50% on unprocessed minerals, exports of which are due to be halted by 2014. Tin is in any case not covered by the export regulations, as it has been illegal to export tin ore and concentrates since 2002.

“We welcome the idea, but it’s still too premature to say that there’s a plan” to impose a tax, Harya Adityawarman, secretary at the Directorate General of Coal and Minerals at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said. “The proposal for such policy must come from our ministry, because that’s our domain, and we haven’t formally suggested it.”

Deddy Saleh, director general of foreign trade at the Trade Ministry, said a tax on coal exports isn’t being discussed. Budi Irmawan, director of base-metal industry at the industry ministry, said the government has made no decision on the tax rates and that the idea was based on industry input.

The tax “is an option, but we have to see whether the policy is conflicting with the mining law,” Deputy Trade Minister Bayu Krisnamurthi told reporters. The immediate policy “is to ban ore exports, and not by imposing an export tariff.”