(Adds minister's comments; paragraphs 3-4) JAKARTA, Oct 24 (Reuters) – Indonesia is working to issue a permit for copper miner Amman Mineral International to export concentrate, the energy minister said on Friday, after banning such exports last year. To boost the domestic metal processing industry, Indonesia banned exports of copper concentrate and other raw minerals from mid-2023, but let Amman continue exporting until December last year, when it was expected to commission a new smelter. The minister, Bahlil Lahadalia, said the export permit might be valid for six months, without saying when it would be issued. "We will allow them (to export) for certain period of time as they have requested it under force majeur," Bahlil told reporters. "Maybe for six months." The government could allow the copper miner to resume concentrate exports after a fire this year at its smelter in Indonesia's province West Nusa Tengggara, ministry official Tri Winarno said. Ministry regulations allow force majeure exemptions to the export ban, he said, adding that Amman had submitted the required police report and insurance claim as proof. "We are in the middle of the process of giving it (the export permit)," Winarno added. This year, Amman said it had 220,000 metric tons of copper cathode available for export, and asked the government to allow copper concentrate exports because of technical constraints its smelter faced. Amman declined to comment. (Reporting by Bernadette Christina, Ananda Teresia; Editing by David Stanway and Clarence Fernandez)
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