Antam to build zirconium plant

State owned mining company PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) plans to build a smelting plant to process zirconium into zirconia in Mandor, Landak Regency, West Kalimantan, Kontan reported on Wednesday.

Antam would cooperate with Centre of Accelerator and Material Process Technology (PTAPB) of the National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN) and the local government of Landak regency to build and operate the plant, an official at the Research and Technology Ministry.

Under the cooperation agreement, Antam would provide the funding for the construction of the zirconium plant, PTAPB would provide the technology while the local government would provide the site for the plant.

An official from PTAPB said that the zirconium could be processed as the raw materials for nuclear and non-nuclear related industry. However, the corporate secretary of Antam Teddy Badrujaman refused to explain details of the plan. (*)