This is further to your editorial “Opening up mining” (December 10). Global free market economies demand open competition rather than excess restriction in commodity movement. Despite the change in the government’s policy stance from protection to market competition some of the activities — in this case mining — is still bound by trade restrictions with limited market exposure. There is a slowdown in the economy and it can be put back on track only when market movement is stimulated and made competitive. Importing commodities that are already available in surplus is akin to wasteful expenditure. In this context, the introduction