Antam Affirms Not Support Policy Relaxation Mineral Exports

Aneka Tambang

PT Antam (Persero) responded positively and is ready to support the plan in a limited relaxation of mineral exports were initiated by the government through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), especially on the product side (by product) that can not be processed in the country.
"Relaxation exports entirely an initiative of the government, so that Antam is not in a position to encourage or request policy (relaxation)," said Senior Vice President and Corporate Secretary of Antam Trenggono Sutiyoso to Bojez.com through a written statement on Friday (09/09/2016).

As a state that is an arm in the management of mineral resources, continued Trenggono, Antam is committed to supporting the government's policy of mineral downstream.

This is evidenced by the establishment has FeNi I, II, and III in Pomalaa, Southeast Sulawesi, factory Chemical Grade Alumina (CGA) in Tayan, West Kalimantan, and a processing plant and a precious metals refinery in Pulogadung, Jakarta.
Nevertheless, continued Trenggono, Antam has mined ore production which is a by-product mines that have not been economical to supply Antam plant or factory in another country.
In fact, the product is highly valued by overseas so there could be additional revenue for the state than just a waste with no economic value.
Mineral ore has some characteristics that are not entirely be processed domestically.
"The utilization of unprocessed mineral ores can be done through mineral ore exports, given the limited capacity of the processing plant in the country," said Trenggono.
Antam bid
Furthermore Trenggono convey, if Antam given the confidence to re-export, the company will allocate a high grade nickel ore to a smelter in the entire country, with a cheaper price than the price at this time.
As for nickel ore that can not be consumed in the country, will be exported. Trenggono added, low grade ore (the rest of) this had better levels of nickel ore from the Philippines so that when the nickel ore from Indonesia to the export market, it will substitute the nickel ore from the Philippines.
Smelter project
To utilize nickel reserves and resources have, in addition to sales of domestic ore, Antam is currently conducting a ferronickel plant with a capacity of 13,500 tonnes of nickel in ferronickel (TNI) in East Halmahera, North Maluku, which is planned for completion in 2018.
In other commodities, bauxite, to optimize the value added potential of bauxite owned, currently Antam in cooperation with PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Persero) or INALUM implement the construction of the plant Smelter Grade Alumina Refinery (SGAR) phase 1 capacity of 1 million tons in Mempawah, Kalimantan West.
SGAR planned for completion in 2019. Trenggono explain, through the operation of SGAR, Antam and Inalum can process bauxite reserves exist. So Inalum would obtain supplies of raw materials from the domestic aluminum, thereby reducing dependence on imported alumina at once to save foreign exchange.