COALspot.com -  Indonesian HBA fell again in August.

The monthly coal reference price for coal sales this month fell 3.32 percent. HBA fell to lowest level since September 2010. The Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources of Indonesia sets the coal’s spot price for August 2012 at US$ 84.65 per ton, US$ 2.91 lower than July 2012 Price.

This coal benchmark price was calculated based on calorific value of 6,322 kcal/kg (GAR), stated to be using formula based on the May 2012 index average of ICI-1 (Indonesia Coal Index) 25%, Platts-1 25%, NEX (Newcastle Export Index) 25%, and GC (globalCoal Index) 25%.

Assessment basis of coal price reference was calculated considering coal with GCV (GAR)  6,322 kcal/kg, Total Moisture (arb) 8.00%, Total Sulphur 0.8% (arb), Ash Content 15 % (arb) and  delivery free on Board (FOB) Vessel basis  and applicable for spot contract, delivery between 1 – 31 August 2012.

The government of Indonesia has been publishing a monthly coal reference price (HBA & HPB) since January 2009 to be used by coal producers for all spot and term contracts. However the full implementation of HBA has started only since September 2011.

The August 2012 HBA was 27.78 percent or $ 32.56 lower Y-o-Y basis.

The price was only valid for the spot price (loading on or before 31 August 2012), while as for term price (up to 12 months supplies), the average reference price (HPB) of the previous 3 months will be used to determine the selling price. (50% of latest available month HPB, 30% of one month prior HPB and 20% of two months prior HPB).

Government also declared reference price for eight brands of Indonesia's coal, which are most commonly traded in the market. Those eight brands are acted as the benchmark and used to calculate other 61 coal types with a quality similar to the coal price markers.

For sales in barge, the reference price is reduced by barging and transshipment costs from barge to vessel.

The coal reference price, which has been established to fulfill the requirement of mining law 04/2009 and latest ministerial decree 17/2010 and also aims to increase government revenue from royalties from coal producers. According to industry, all existing coal supply agreements with Indonesian coal mining companies have  been revised to comply with new coal pricing regulation, which was fully implemented on 23 September 2011.

The government has recently introduced export duty for unprocessed minerals but coal was missing in the recent regulation. According to Mining law 04/2009, the coal producers of Indonesia were asked to add value for their product such as washing, crushing, blending and upgrading to have a higher-value product prior to eye on the export market and avoid proposed export ban.

Coal traders must hold IUP OPK to sell or buy coal in Indonesia. Coal traders are requested to obtain IUP OPK from mining department to sell or buy coal in Indonesia as well as to export to overseas market.

Click here for complete Indonesian coal reference prices since January 2009.(cs)