Antam, Direct Nickel plan nickel processing plant

IDX-listed mining company PT ANTAM (Persero) and ASX-listed Direct Nickel plan to set up a joint venture that would build a nickel processing plant to produce nickel concentrates for the export market, Kontan daily reported on Tuesday.

The paper quoted Antam Corporate Secretary Tri Hartono as saying that the processing plant, to be located in Buli, Halmahera, North Maluku Province, will have a planned capacity of 10,000-20,000 tons per annum.

As an initial step, the two companies have started feasibility study which is targeted to be completed early next year, the paper said.

Tri declined to provide further details about the planned joint venture, but Direct Nickel has said that the planned project was a response to the government of Indonesia?s mineral ore export ban policy introduced earlier this year as nickel concentrates are not barred from export. (*)