ESDM tightens mining permits, operations need more than IUP
New rule: RKAB must pass technical, environmental, safety and state-revenue checks before operations are approved.
The Directorate General of Mineral and Coal of the ESDM Ministry is tightening mining governance by requiring all permitting, evaluation and supervision processes to run through a standardized, measurable and digital system. Director General of Minerba Tri Winarno said mining activities cannot proceed on the basis of an Izin Usaha Pertambangan, or IUP, alone. Companies must also prepare a Rencana Kerja dan Anggaran Biaya, or RKAB, and meet technical, environmental and safety requirements as well as state-revenue obligations. RKAB is mandatory for holders of IUP and IUPK under Article 111 of Law No. 3 of 2020. The rules were strengthened under Government Regulation No. 25 of 2024 and ESDM Ministerial Regulation No. 17 of 2025, with submissions made electronically through e-RKAB.