The Indonesian government has officially seized 3,500 hectares of gold mining concessions in Central Papua after revoking the production operations license of PT Kristalin Ekalestari, following field verifications by the Forest Area Orderliness Task Force, detikFinance reported.
Minister of Investment and Downstreaming/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board Rosan Roeslani issued the revocation decree on October 12, 2026, acting on behalf of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources. The decision nullifies the earlier permit issued by the One-Stop Integrated Services Investment Office of Papua Province from 2020. According to findings from the task force, known locally as Satgas PKH, the company cleared forest land for mining operations without securing the mandatory Forest Area Utilization Approval, operating both inside and outside its designated concession boundaries.
Enforcement Action and Military-Backed Closure in Nabire
The administrative revocation preceded a physical enforcement operation in Makimi District, Nabire Regency. CNN Indonesia reported that Satgas PKH shut down 275.36 hectares of illegal mining operations on October 22, 2026. Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, serving as the task force’s lead director, spearheaded the operation alongside Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin, military and police leadership, and the head of the State Intelligence Agency.
The intervention relies on Presidential Regulation Number 5 of 2025. Addressing the operation, Sjafrie acknowledged pushback from local actors but emphasized that the government intends to press forward under national unity frameworks.
“Kami tetap berkomitmen dalam pelaksanaan tugas PKH. Kami menyadari banyak perlawanan-perlawanan yang diberikan tetapi dengan keutuhan persatuan nasional yang berdasarkan Peraturan Presiden nomor 5 tahun 2025 Insyaallah semuanya akan kita selesaikan,” stated Sjafrie, as reported by CNN Indonesia.
State Control and Future Management by PT Antam
Following the formal revocation, the entire 3,500-hectare mining business license area reverts to the control of the central government. Meanwhile, the legal ramifications extend to state-owned enterprise integration.
Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin announced that the reclaimed acreage will be transferred to state-owned mining enterprise PT Antam. According to reporting by CNN Indonesia, the government intends for Antam to act as both investor and direct operator to ensure the natural wealth directly benefits the public.
Concurrently, the government is drafting new regulatory frameworks to address community mining in Nabire. ANTARA News Papua Tengah reported that Burhanuddin urged residents to approach the transition pragmatically, noting that future regulations will distinguish between subsistence mining and commercial operations employing heavy machinery without permits.
PT Kristalin Ekalestari Retains Legal Obligations After Permit Cancellation
Despite the cancellation of the permit, PT Kristalin Ekalestari retains legal obligations tied to its tenure.
Kompas noted that the formal cancellation traces back to an October 9 request from the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, which in turn relied on an August 31 recommendation by the Minister of Defense.
