Antam resumes operation of electric smelting furnace in SE Sulawesi

By Romel S. Gurky

IDX-listed mining firm PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (Antam) resumed on Friday the operation of electric smelting furnace No. 2 (ESF No. 2) at its ferronickel plant complex in Pomalaa, Southeast Sulawesi.

Antam President Director Tedy Badrujaman said in a statement that the operation of the ESF No. 2 will help the company meet its 2016 output target of 20,000 tons of TNi.

The statement said that following the switch on of the ESF No. 2, the company will ramp up the load of the electric smelting furnace gradually to ensure stability and operation safety. The ramp period is planned for 45 days with the maiden tapping metal scheduled for June of this year.

Antam has three electric smelting furnaces in Pomalaa. The ESF No 2 was suspended in 2013 when the company started construction of expansion work at the Pomalaa ferronickel plant, which includes the construction of ESF No. 4. The expansion will increase the plant?s annual production capacity to 27,000-30,000 tons from 18,000-20,000 tons of TNi.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak