Antam, partners appoint Kawasaki W. Kalimantan alumina plant contractor

IDX-listed state miner PT.Aneka Tambang Tbk said on Tuesday that Tayan Alumina partnership had appointed Japanese firm Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. as EPC contractor to build the Tayan alumina plant in West Kalimantan.

Antam CEO Dedi Aditya Sumanegara told reporters that construction would start mid year with completion seen in 2011. Dedi said construction would take 28 months to complete.

Antam?s share in this project is 49 percent with partners Showa Denko KK of Japan (30 percent), Straits Trading Amalgamated Resources Private Limited of Singapore (STAR) (15 percent), and Marubeni Corporation (6 percent). Antam has an option to increase its ownership to 51% in the future.

The plant would produce 300,000 tonnes per year chemical grade alumina. Showa Denko will also act as offtaker of some of the plant?s out put and Marubeni will act as marketing agent, Dedi said.

Dedi said some 60-80 percent of the output would be sold to Japan market and the rest would go to China, Thailand and Indonesia. (godang)