Antam to resume FeNi III production Nov

IDX-listed nickel and gold miner PT Aneka Tambang Tbk said its South East Sulawesi ferronickel smelter FeNi III will resume operations in November.

Senior VP Nickel Mining Business Unit Tedy Badrujaman told Petromindo.Com on Wednesday that repair program on the smelter had been completed last month and the company is currently ramping up power from 10MW to 42MW. ?We?ll resume operations in November,? he said, adding that the unit will contribute 1,500 tonnes of nickel in contained in ferronickel this year.

Antam conducts repair due to indication and signs of metal leak at the furnace wall on earlier this year. The indication and sign of the leak occurred at the weak spot of the refractory bricks. Antam has replaced the cooling system of the furnace in order to be able to operate the smelter at maximum capacity.

Tedy said Antam will produce 12,000 tonnes of nickel in contained in ferronickel this year from its three smelters and will ramp up production to 17,000 tonnes next year.(denny)