Freeport Change Smelter Design
4:56 PM
Add Comment
PT Freeport Indonesia revised the design of a copper concentrate mineral smelter facility. The revision has been attached to the application for an export permit extension to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM). In the latest design, there is the addition of an anode sludge purification facilities, or slime anodes.
The slime anode is a by-product of purified concentrated concentrate. Fixed copper smelter capacity of 2 million tons. While the slime anode smelter capacity is 4,000 tons. With the addition of the anode slime facility, the Freeport smelter investment has increased to US $ 3 billion. Previously, smelter investment was only around US $ 2.6 billion.
When confirmed, the ESDM Ministry's Director of Mineral Business Development Yunus Saefulhak confirmed the revision of the Freeport smelter. He revealed the location of the smelter set by Freeport still in the industrial area of Gresik, East Java, namely Java Integrated Industry and Port Estate (JIIPE).
Java Integrated Industry and Port Estate (JIIPE)
"It's true that the smelter design is one," Yunus told Investor Daily.
The progress of the smelter construction is an absolute requirement to obtain an extension of the concentrate export permit. The validity period of Freeport's export permit expires on February 15.
But Yunus did not want to explain whether the submission of the smelter revision made the calculation of project progress different. Because the smelter progress is at least 90% of the work plan per six months.
While the design revision of the smelter has just been submitted. There are sanctions if progress does not reach 90%, namely revocation of export licenses. The latest design of the smelter is correlated with PT Smelting. Because Smelting is the party that produces slime anodes. Smelting has been exporting slime anodes to Japan and South Korea.
PT Smelting
Since the beginning of 2017 yesterday, the slime anode has been included in the category of types of minerals that must be purified domestically. Therefore it was given until 2022 to complete the smelter.
On his way, Smelting once collaborated with PT Antam Tbk. But the collaboration failed. Then Smelting explored cooperation with Freeport and PT Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara.
The cooperation assessment was attached to the export permit application in 2018. The ESDM Ministry then issued a recommendation export permit for Smelting which ends in March. Yunus revealed that Smelting had applied for an extension of the export permit.
"Smelting has submitted," he explained.
Riza Pratama
Separately, Freeport Indonesia spokesman Riza Pratama did not deny or justify the revised design of the smelter. He was also reluctant to affirm the collaboration with Amman regarding the slime anode smelter.
"We are confirming first," he said briefly.
Meanwhile, Amman Mineral President Director Rachmat Makkasau also did not explicitly state the collaboration with Freeport.
"We are focused on building a smelter in Benete, Sumbawa first," he said.
Rachmat explained that the copper smelter project is now entering the technical design phase (FEED). He then opened the opportunity for any company to work together to build the smelter.
"We are always open to open opportunities for cooperation by building smelters on Sumbawa," he explained.
Amman has also sent a letter requesting an extension of the export of concentrate. The validity period of Amman's export permit expires on February 21. Rachmat said that the application included 336 thousand tons of concentrate.
The quota is lower than the export volume permitted by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources during February 2018 - February 2019 amounting to 450,826 tons. Rahmat explained the realization of exports was less than the amount permitted.
This is caused by several changes to the production plan. It's just that he was reluctant to disclose these changes.
IN INDONESIAN
Freeport Ubah Desain Smelter
PT Freeport Indonesia merevisi desain fasilitas pemurnian mineral (smelter) konsentrat tembaga. Revisi tersebut sudah dilampirkan dalam permohonan perpanjangan izin ekspor ke Kementerian Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral (ESDM). Dalam rancangan teranyar ada penambahan fasilitas pemurnian lumpur anoda atau yang disebut anoda slime.
Anoda slime merupakan produk samping dari pemurnian konsentrat ternbaga. Kapasitas smelter tembaga tetap 2 juta ton. Sementara kapasitas smelter anoda slime sebesar 4.000 ton. Dengan penambahan fasilitas anoda slime maka investasi smelter Freeport meningkat menjadi US$ 3 miliar. Sebel-
umnya investasi smelter hanya sekitar US$ 2,6 miliar.
Ketika dikonfirmasi, Direktur Pembinaan Pengusahaan Mineral Kementerian ESDM Yunus Saefulhak membenarkan adanya revisi smelter Freeport. Dia mengungkapkan lokasi smelter yang ditetapkan Freeport masih berada di kawasan industri Gresik, Jawa Timur yakni Java lntegrated lndustrial and Port
Estate (JIIPE).
“Betul desain smelter-nya menjadi satu" kata Yunus kepada Investor Daily.
Kemajuan pembangunan smelter merupakan syarat mutlak untuk mendapatkan perpanjangan izin ekspor konsentrat. Masa berlaku izin ekspor Freeport berakhir pada 15 Februari ini. Namun Yunus belum mau menjelaskan apakah pengajuan revisi smelter itu membuat perhitungan kemajuan proyek menjadi berbeda. Pasalnya progres smelter minimal 90% dari rencana kerja per enam bulan.
Sementara revisi desain smelter baru saja diajukan. Ada sanksi bila progres tidak mencapai 90% yakni pencabutan izin ekspor. Desain terbaru smelter ini berkolerasi dengan PT Smelting. Pasalnya Smelting merupakan pihak yang menghasilkan anoda slime. Smelting selama ini mengekspor anoda slime ke Jepang dan Korea Selatan.
Semenjak-awal 2017 kemarin, anoda slime masuk dalam kategori jenis mineral yang harus dimurnikan di dalam negeri. Oleh sebab itu diberi waktu hingga 2022 untuk menyelesaikan smelter. Dalam perjalanannya, Smelting pernah menggandeng PT AntamTbk. Namun kerjasama itu gagal. Kemudian Smelting menjajaki kerjasama dengan Freeport dan PT Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara.
Penjajakan kerjasama itu dilampirkan dalam permohonan izin ekspor pada 2018 lalu. Kementerian ESDM kemudian menerbitkan rekomendasi
izin ekspor bagi Smelting yang berakhir pada Maret nanti. Yunus mengungkapkan Smelting sudah mengajukan permohonan perpanjangan izin ekspor.
“Smelting sudah mengajukan,” jelasnya.
Secara terpisah, Juru bicara Freeport Indonesia Riza Pratama tidak menyangkal atau membenarkan adanya revisi desain smelter. Dia pun enggan menegaskan kerjasama dengan Amman terkait smelter anoda slime sudah berakhir.
“Kami konflrrnasi dulu,” ujarnya singkat.
Sementara itu, Presiden Direktur Amman Mineral Rachmat Makkasau pun tidak menyatakan secara tegas terkait kerjasama dengan Freeport.
“Kami fokus untuk bangun smelter di Benete, Sumbawa dulu,” ujarnya.
Rachmat menerangkan proyek smelter tembaga itu kini memasuki tahap desain teknis (FEED). Dia kemudian membuka peluang bagi perusahaan mana pun untuk bekerjasama membangun smelter tersebut.
“Kami selalu terbuka untuk membuka peluang kerja sama dengan dalam membangun smelter di Sumbawa,” terangnya.
Amman pun sudah melayangkan surat permohonan perpanjangan ekspor konsentrat. Masa berlaku izin ekspor Amman berakhir pada 21 Februari nanti. Rachmat menuturkan dalam permohonan itu disertakan juga volume ekspor yang diajukan sebanyak 336 ribu ton konsentrat.
Kuota tersebut lebih rendah dibandingkan dengan volume ekspor yang diizinkan Kementerian ESDM selama Februari 2018 - Februari 2019 sebesar 450.826 ton. Rahmat menjelaskan realisasi ekspor kurang dari jumlah yang diizinkau tersebut.
Hal ini disebabkan oleh beberapa perubahan rencana produksi. Hanya saja dia enggan membeberkan perubahan tersebut.
Investor Daily, Page-9, Friday, Feb 15, 2019
0 Response to "Freeport Change Smelter Design"
Post a Comment