Freeport Smelter Location Not Confirmed
9:48 AM
Add Comment
Freeport proposes Gresik as the location for the construction of smelters. However, the government stated that the choice of location was still being studied.
Until now, there is no certainty regarding the location of construction of processing facilities and refining of mineral mines or new smelters. The smelter is for refining PT Freeport Indonesia's copper concentrate. A number of locations were discussed as choices, such as Gresik (East Java), West Nusa Tenggara, and Papua. Gresik is Freeport's choice and has been submitted to the government.
PT Smelting Gresik
New smelters need to be built because there are still copper concentrates that cannot yet be purified domestically. The current smelter in Gresik, namely PT Smelting Gresik, has a capacity of 1 million tons per year and only processes 58 percent of PT Freeport Indonesia's copper concentrate production. The remaining 42 percent of copper concentrate production is exported to a number of countries, such as India, China, Japan and Spain.
The new smelter being planned has a capacity of 2 million tons per year with an investment of 2.3 billion US dollars. The Chairman of the Indonesia Mining Institute Irwandy Arif said, the selection of smelter locations must consider the availability of energy supplies and supporting infrastructure, such as ports and highways.
Other considerations are environmental security and economic factors (efficiency). He acknowledged that the Papua and Mimika Provincial Governments wanted a smelter to be built in Papua to grow employment and local economic activities.
"If it is later decided in Gresik because it needs additional capital for locations where there is no supporting infrastructure so that the economy is difficult to achieve," Irwandy said.
Regarding the capital to build the new smelter, PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminum (Persero) or Inalum Rendi A Witular, Head of Corporate Communication and Inter-Relations Relations, said that the smelter development funding fully uses Freeport's internal funds. According to him, Inalum did not issue or deposit funds to build the new smelter.
Inalum in December 2018 completed the acquisition of PT Freeport Indonesia shares worth 3.85 billion US dollars, or almost Rp. 60 trillion. With the acquisition, Indonesia's share ownership became 51.23 percent, consisting of 40.23 percent owned by Inalum and 10 percent belonging to the Papua and Mimika Provincial Governments.
Reviewed
Last weekend, in a downstream mining discussion in Jakarta, PT Freeport Indonesia's President Director Tony Wenas said that his party had proposed Gresik as the location for the construction of a new smelter. As reported to the government, new development progress reached 5 percent. It is committed to the completion of the smelter in five years.
"Indeed, according to the plan, what we have registered with the government (Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources) will be built in Gresik," Tony said.
On the same occasion, Deputy for Mining Business, Strategic Industry, and Media Ministry of BUMN Fajar Harry Sampurno said, the choice of construction site for the new copper smelter was still being studied. Several location choices are in Gresik, Papua, and West Nusa Tenggara. Adequacy of electricity supply is a major concern in the choice of location.
"The smelter's electricity demand is huge. The cheapest from water (hydroelectric power). Preparation in Gresik, but ease of location and energy supply are also considered, "said Fajar.
In Freeport documents, at least 35 hectares of land are needed to build the new smelter. In addition, a port with a minimum capacity of 35,000 tons is required. Electricity, natural gas and road infrastructure are also needed. Smelters also need to be built in locations near cement, fertilizer and petrochemical plants. Copper smelters also produce several by-products fertilizer and cement factories needed.
IN INDONESIAN
Lokasi Smelter Freeport Belum Dipastikan
Freeport mengajukan Gresik sebagai lokasi pembangunan smelter. Namun, pemerintah menyatakan pilihan lokasinya masih dikaji.
Hingga kini, belum ada kepastian mengenai lokasi pembangunan sarana pengolahan dan pemurnian mineral tambang atau smelter baru. Smelter itu untuk pemurnian konsentrat tembaga PT Freeport Indonesia. Sejumlah lokasi diwacanakan menjadi pilihan, seperti Gresik (Jawa Timur), Nusa Tenggara Barat, dan Papua. Gresik menjadi pilihan Freeport dan sudah diajukan kepada pemerintah.
Smelter baru perlu dibangun lantaran masih ada sisa konsentrat tembaga yang belum bisa dimurnikan di dalam negeri. Smelter yang ada saat ini di Gresik, yakni PT Smelting Gresik, berkapasitas 1 juta ton per tahun dan hanya mengolah 58 persen produksi konsentrat tembaga PT Freeport Indonesia. Sisanya, 42 persen produksi konsentrat tembaga, diekspor ke sejumlah negara, seperti India, China, Jepang, dan Spanyol.
Smelter baru yang sedang direncanakan tersebut berkapasitas 2 juta ton per tahun dengan nilai investasi 2,3 miliar dollar AS. Ketua Indonesia Mining Institute Irwandy Arif mengatakan, pemilihan lokasi smelter harus mempertimbangkan ketersediaan pasokan energi dan infrastruktur pendukung, seperti pelabuhan dan jalan raya.
Pertimbangan lain adalah keamanan lingkungan dan faktor keekonomian (efisiensi). Ia mengakui, Pemerintah Provinsi Papua dan Kabupaten Mimika ingin smelter dibangun di Papua untuk menumbuhkan lapangan kerja dan aktivitas ekonomi lokal.
”Kalau kemudian diputuskan di Gresik lantaran perlu modal tambahan untuk lokasi yang belum ada infrastruktur pendukung sehingga keekonomiannya sulit dicapai,” kata Irwandy.
Mengenai modal membangun smelter baru tersebut, Kepala Komunikasi Korporat dan Hubungan Antarlembaga PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Persero) atau Inalum Rendi A Witular mengatakan, pendanaan pembangunan smelter sepenuhnya menggunakan dana internal Freeport.
Menurut dia, Inalum tidak mengeluarkan atau menyetor dana untuk membangun smelter baru itu. Inalum pada Desember 2018 menuntaskan akuisisi saham PT Freeport Indonesia senilai 3,85 miliar dollar AS atau hampir Rp 60 triliun. Dengan akuisisi itu, kepemilikan saham Indonesia menjadi 51,23 persen, terdiri dari 40,23 persen milik Inalum serta 10 persen milik Pemerintah Provinsi Papua dan Kabupaten Mimika.
Dikaji
Akhir pekan lalu, dalam diskusi hilirisasi tambang di Jakarta, Direktur Utama PT Freeport Indonesia Tony Wenas menyampaikan, pihaknya sudah mengajukan Gresik sebagai lokasi pembangunan smelter baru. Seperti yang dilaporkan ke pemerintah, kemajuan pembangunan baru mencapai 5 persen. Pihaknya berkomitmen pembangunan smelter tuntas dalam lima tahun.
”Memang sesuai dengan rencana, yang kami daftarkan ke pemerintah (Kementerian Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral) itu akan dibangun di Gresik,” ujar Tony.
Dalam kesempatan yang sama, Deputi Bidang Usaha Pertambangan, Industri Strategis, dan Media Kementerian BUMN Fajar Harry Sampurno mengatakan, pilihan lokasi pembangunan smelter tembaga yang baru masih dikaji. Beberapa pilihan lokasi ada di Gresik, Papua, dan Nusa Tenggara Barat. Kecukupan pasokan listrik menjadi perhatian utama dalam pemilihan lokasi itu.
”Kebutulan listrik smelter besar sekali. Yang paling murah dari air (pembangkit listrik tenaga air). Persiapan di Gresik, tetapi kemudahan dari sisi lokasi dan pasokan energi juga dipertimbangkan,” ujar Fajar.
Dalam dokumen Freeport, setidaknya diperlukan lahan seluas 35 hektar untuk membangun smelter baru tersebut. Selain itu, diperlukan pula pelabuhan dengan kapasitas minimal untuk kapal berbobot mati 35.000 ton. Pasokan listrik, gas alam, dan infrastruktur jalan juga diperlukan. Smelter juga perlu dibangun di lokasi dekat pabrik semen, pupuk, dan petrokimia. Smelter tembaga juga menghasilkan beberapa produk sampingan yang dibutuhkan pabrik pupuk dan semen.
Kompas, Page-15, Monday, Feb 4, 2019
0 Response to "Freeport Smelter Location Not Confirmed"
Post a Comment