JAKARTA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto ordered the closure of some 1,000 illegal tin mines in Bangka Belitung province on Sumatra island, a key tin-producing region of the country, on Monday.
The move, launched on Sept. 1, is projected to prevent state losses of up to 45 trillion rupiah (about 2.8 billion U.S. dollars) by 2026, according to the president.
"About 80 percent of tin production from Bangka Belitung has been smuggled abroad through various channels, from small boats to passenger ferries," Prabowo said. He stressed that all smuggling routes have now been sealed off, "leaving no way out, not even by canoe."
The president also underlined the potential of rare earth minerals contained in mining waste, noting that such resources had long been overlooked despite their high value.
Prabowo instructed the Directorate General of Customs and Excise to recruit chemists to help identify these minerals, while reiterating his administration's determination to clamp down on illegal mining and strengthen state revenue. ■
