Industry experts noted that the export ban had been in the works since a mining law was passed in 2009, but that Mr. Yudhoyono’s government, apparently realizing the potential impact that it could have on jobs, taxes and royalties, had only created uncertainty and confusion by granting a reprieve until 2017.
“The most significant metal producers shouldn’t expect any negative impact," said Bill Sullivan, a lawyer and mining industry adviser in Jakarta. "The real story is how the government could have left it to the night before to come to grips with this. It’s been an appalling failure of government policy making.”
Mr. Sullivan said that midsize nickel and bauxite miners could be unfairly hurt the most by the new regulation if companies hired to build smelting facilities failed to do so by 2017.