Freeport hopes to get an Export Permit Extension soon
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PT Freeport Indonesia hopes to immediately deliver copper concentrates abroad. Because production activities can be disrupted if the storage warehouse is full of copper concentrate. The mining company, which is now majority-owned by PT Inalum (Persero), has three storage warehouses in Amamapare, Mimika, Papua with a capacity of 40 thousand tons each.
Riza Pratama
Freeport Indonesia spokesman Riza Pratama said the warehouse still holds enough copper concentrates. But he hopes that an export permit will be issued soon. Given the limited storage warehouse capacity.
"Hopefully it will be published soon," Riza said in Jakarta, Tuesday (2/26).
Riza said that production runs normally because concentrates can still be sent to PT Smelting in Gresik, East Java. Problems arise when the warehouse at Smelting and Amamapare is full of concentrate. Therefore export licenses are expected to be issued soon.
PT Smelting in Gresik, East Java - Indonesia
"As long as the warehouse is still sufficient, we can still ship to Gresik, now it is still ongoing. Later, if the warehouse is full in Gresik, then there's only a problem, "he said.
The delay in export activities is not the first time experienced by Freeport. At the beginning of 2017 similar things happened. As a result, Freeport was forced to reduce production and its employees. Because the storage warehouse can no longer accommodate copper concentrates. Smelting could not absorb Freeport's concentrate because there was an employee demonstration.
The issuance of an export permit extension has not been issued because the ESDM Ministry is still evaluating the progress of the Freeport smelter development. ESDM Ministry's Mineral and Coal Director General Bambang Gatot has not been able to confirm when the evaluation will be completed.
"The export permit extension has not yet been issued," he said briefly.
The progress of smelter development is the main prerequisite that must be met by Freeport. Because there are provisions stating the granting of an extension of the permit if the smelter advances at least 90% of the development plan per six months. If the provisions are not fulfilled, there will be no extension of the export permit.
The length of the evaluation process is because Freeport has submitted a draft revision of the smelter, namely the addition of an anode sludge treatment facility or the so-called slime anode. While the copper concentrate smelter capacity is still 2 million tons.
Slime anode is a by-product of purifying copper concentrate. Although not the main mineral type, but since 2017 yesterday the slime anode was included in the category that must be processed domestically. The slime anode processing capacity reaches 6,000 tons per year. The construction is in collaboration with PT Smelting which has so far produced slime anodes.
2,000 tons of slime anode will be supplied to the latest facility. So far Smelting exports slime anodes to Japan and South Korea. With the addition of these facilities, Freeport's investment increased to US $ 3 billion. Actually, the draft revision of the smelter was not the first time submitted by Freeport. In February 2017 yesterday, Freeport had submitted a design revision of the smelter.
Java Integrated Industrial and Port Estate / JIIPE
The revision took the form of transferring the location of the smelter from the land owned by PT Petrokimia Gresik to the industrial area of Gresik, East Java Indonesia (Java Integrated Industrial and Port Estate / JIIPE).
Freeport has rented Petrochemical land since early 2014. But during the vulnerable period of 2014-2017 the progress of the smelter construction has not been significant. Because at that time Freeport wanted the certainty of the continuation of the operation after the contract ended in 2021. Now the government has given an extension of the operation and Freeport is committed to completing the smelter no later than 2023.
Extension of export licenses is given if the progress of the smelter construction is at least 90% of the work plan per six months. While Freeport submitted a revision to the design of the smelter construction. But the location of the permanent smelter of the Gresik industrial estate, East Java, is Java Integrated Industrial and Port Estate (JIIPE).
The design revision was in the form of adding an anode sludge purification facility (slime anode). The addition of these facilities makes investment in smelters rise to US $ 3 billion.
Director of ESDM Ministry of Mineral Business Development Yunus Saefulhak previously confirmed the revision of the Freeport smelter. But Yunus hasn't explained whether the submission of the revised smelter makes the calculation of the progress of the project different.
"It's true that the design of the smelter is one," he said.
The latest design of this 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. Since the beginning of 2017 yesterday, the slime anode has been included in the category of types of minerals that must be purified domestically.
PT Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara.
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.
IN INDONESIAN
Freeport berharap segera Peroleh Perpanjangan Izin Ekspor
PT Freeport Indonesia berharap bisa segara melakukan pengiriman konsentrat tembaga ke Iuar negeri. Pasalnya kegiatan produksi bisa terganggu bila gudang penyimpanan sudah penuh dengan konsentrat tembaga. Perusahaan tambang yang kini mayoritas sahamnya dimiliki PT Inalum (persero) itu memiliki tiga gudang penyimpanan di Amamapare, Mimika, Papua dengan kapasitas masing-masing 40 ribu ton.
Juru bicara Freeport Indonesia Riza Pratama mengatakan gudang masih cukup menampung konsentrat tembaga. Namun dia berharap izin ekspor segera diterbitkan. Mengingat keterbatasan kapasitas gudang penyimpanan.
“Mudah-mudahan segera terbit,” kata Riza di Jakarta, Selasa (26/2).
Riza menuturkan produksi berjalan normal lantaran konsentrat masih bisa dikirim ke PT Smelting di Gresik, Jawa Timur. Masalah timbul bila gudang di Smelting dan Amamapare penuh dengan konsentrat. Oleh sebab itu izin ekspor diharapkan segera terbit.
“Selama gudang masih cukup, kita masih bisa mengapalkan ke Gresik, ya sekarang masih berlangsung. Nanti kalau gudang sudah penuh di Gresik, Nah itu baru ada masalah,” ujarnya.
Tertundanya kegiatan ekspor bukan kali pertama dialami Freeport. Pada awal 2017 silam hal serupa pernah terjadi. Akibatnya Freeport terpaksa mengurangi produksi dan karyawannya. Pasalnya gudang penyimpanan tidak bisa lagi menampung konsentrat tembaga. Smelting pun tidak bisa menyerap konsentrat Freeport lantaran sedang ada aksi demonstrasi karyawan.
Belum terbitnya perpanjangan izin ekspor lantaran Kementerian ESDM masih melalukan evaluasi kemajuan pembangunan smelter Freeport. Direktur Jenderal Mineral dan Batu bara Kementerian ESDM Bambang Gatot belum bisa memastikan kapan evaluasi tersebut selesai.
“Perpanjangan izin ekspor belum terbit,” ujarnya singkat.
Kemajuan pembangunan smelter menjadi prasyarat utama yang harus dipenuhi oleh Freeport. Pasalnya ada ketentuan yang menyatakan pemberian perpanjangan izin bila kemajuan smelter minimal 90% dari rencana pembangunan per enam bulan. Jika ketentuan itu tidak terpenuhi maka tidak ada perpanjangan izin ekspor.
Lamanya proses evaluasi lantaran Freeport mengajukan revisi rancangan smelter yakni penambahan fasilitas pengolahan lumpur anoda atau yang disebut anoda slime. Sementara kapasitas smelter konsentrat tembaga tetap 2 juta ton.
Anoda slime merupakan produk samping dari pemurnian konsentrat tembaga. Meski bukan jenis mineral utama namun sejak 2017 kemarin anoda slime masuk dalam kategori yang harus diolah di dalam negeri. Kapasitas pengolahan anoda slime ini mencapai 6.000 ton per tahun. Pembangunannya bekerjasama dengan PT Smelting yang selama ini menghasilkan anoda slime.
Sebanyak 2.000 ton anoda slime akan dipasok ke fasilitas terbaru tersebut. Selama ini Smelting mengekspor anoda slime ke Jepang dan Korea Selatan. Dengan penambahan fasilitas tersebut maka investasi Freeport meningkat menjadi US$ 3 miliar. Sebenarnya revisi rancangan smelter bukan kali pertama diajukan Freeport.
Pada Februari 2017 kemarin, Freeport sudah mengajukan revisi desain smelter. Revisi itu berupa pemindahan lokasi smelter dari lahan milik PT Petrokimia Gresik menjadi ke kawasan industrik Gresik, Jawa Timur Indonesia (Java Integrated Industrial and Port Estate/JIIPE).
Freeport menyewa lahan Petrokimia sejak awal 2014 silam. Namun selama rentan waktu 2014-2017 progres pembangunan smelter belum signifiikan. Lantaran kala itu Freeport menginginkan kepastian kelanjutan operasi pasca kontrak berakhir di 2021. Kini pemerintah sudah memberi perpanjangan operasi dan Freeport berkomitmen menyelesaikan smelter paling lambat di 2023.
Perpanjangan izin ekspor diberikan bila kemajuan pembangunan smelter minimal 90% dari rencana kerja per enam bulan. Sementara Freeport mengajukan revisi rancangan pembangunan smelter. Namun lokasi smelter tetap kawasan industri Gresik, Jawa Timur yakni java Integrated Industrial and Port Estate (JIIPE). Revisi rancangan itu berupa penambahan fasilitas pemurnian lumpur anoda (anoda slime). Penambahan fasilitas ini membuat investasi smelter naik menjadi US$ 3 miliar.
Direktur Pembinaan Pengusahaan Mineral Kementerian ESDM Yunus Saefulhak sebelumnya membenarkan adanya revisi smelter Freeport. Namun Yunus belum man menjelaskan apakah pengajuan revisi smelter itu membuat perhitungan kemajuan proyek menjadi berbeda.
“Betul desain smelternya jadi satu,” ujarnya.
Desain teranyar 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 Antam Tbk. Namun kerjasama itu gagal. Kemudian Smelting menjajaki kerjasama dengan Freeport dan PT Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara.
Investor Daily, Page-9, Wednesday, Feb 27, 2019
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