The Russian government has issued a decree reforming the export licensing system for platinum and palladium miners.

In place of the current system, in which licences granted span several years, the new method will see licences reviewed on an annual basis.

The decree also seems to do away with the differential handling which had become a convention of the Russian approach to licensing between platinum, palladium, rhodium and other platinum group metals (pgms) as well as the different measures and forms in which the metals have been licensed for export since 2001, Mineweb reports.

It is not known when the reforms will take effect, and when pressed Anastasia Zimonina, the Trade Ministry spokesperson, could not confirm which minister was responsible for enforcing the terms of the decree.

News of the developments comes after it had been widely speculated that Russia would opt not to issue any platinum export licences in 2008.

Norilsk Nickel has since moved to allay concerns over the new regulations and has said that annual licences for export of pgms have been granted to Almazjuverlirexport.

Source:

Zubkov one-liner bowls platinum hat trick, 19/12/07
http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page35?oid=42442&sn=Detail

Fears mount over Russia's platinum licences - 18/12/07
http://www.platinum.matthey.com/media_room/1197979215.html


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