PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Businesses in Australia’s Northern Territory are hoping to maintain a strong link with their counterparts in Indonesia, despite that country placing a ban on the export of mineral ores.

A trade mission from the Northern Territory has departed for East Kalimantan, with the aim of strengthening links between Northern Australia and Indonesia.

“The Territory is working hard to build its trilateral relationship with Indonesia and Timor-Leste, and this trade mission will be a further step in developing closer ties with our largest neighbour,” Chief Minister Adam Giles said.

The mission to the Balikpapan Mining and Petroleum Expo would be led by the Territory’s newly appointed Commissioner to Indonesia and ASEAN, Terry Mills.

“Balikpapan in East Kalimantan is the main service and supply centre for some of Indonesia’s largest mining and oil and gas projects and is home to major companies such as Leighton, Thiess, Caterpillar, Chevron, Inpex and Total,” Giles said.

“These companies have an appetite for world-class services and supplies and the Northern Territory business community is developing its skill set to provide these to Indonesian markets.”

The delegation is made up of 23 business people from 11 local companies including Atom Supply, Carcom, Bridge Toyota, EcoOz Environmental, CDU and Rusca Brothers – all of whom would be jointly exhibiting at a Northern Territory booth during the three-day expo.

“We are working hard to expand our trading relationships with our nearest neighbour and while the cattle industry remains our mainstay, we are looking to increase trade in industrial hardware, telecommunications equipment, mine-site rehabilitation, education and vehicle spare parts.

“Our clear message to the business community of Indonesia at this expo is that the Territory is open for business as the capital of Northern Australia,” Giles added.

While in Indonesia, the mission will also be working to foster closer government-to-government links between the Territory and Indonesia.

In January this year, Indonesia announced that miners would be liable for taxes if they exported copper, iron-ore, manganese, lead, zinc and ilmenite over the next three years. The ban allowed mining major Newmont Mining to continue its operations. However, the country placed a ban on the export of nickel and bauxite, which had to date been two of Indonesia’s most important ore exports.