Chinese firm to build nickel smelter in Maluku

Chinese company Fujian Pan Chinese Mining Co will build a nickel smelting plant in Mount Tinggi in West Seram regency, Maluku province, in cooperation with local company PT Seram Jaya Perkasa, Investor Daily reported on Wednesday.

West Seram Regent Jakobus Puttileihalat said on Tuesday that based on the agreement with PT Seram Jaya, the Chinese company would begin the construction of the smelting plant in March, this year.

Jakobus said that the plan to set up the nickel smelting plant was part of the memorandumo understanding (MoU) signed by the Maluku provincial administration and the Chinese province of Henan during the official visit of Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralajalu to China. The governor was part of the government?s officials joining President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono?s visit to China in March, last year.

Jakabos said that the nickel smelting plant would be built on the Seram special economic zone (KEK) in West Seram. Steel and aluminium processing plants will aso be built on the 5,000-hectare special economic zone. (*)