Gulf obtains local government approval for manganese smelting hub project
Monday, October 10 2016 - 01:36 AM WIB
ASX-listed Manganese Corporation Limited said that it has received approval from the Governor of East Nusa Tenggara for the construction of a manganese smelting hub in the Bolok Industrial Estate in Kupang.
The company said in a statement Sunday it has commenced preparatory site works in order to fast-track the development of the Kupang facility in coming months.
?Gulf will now immediately undertake detailed site surveying, in conjunction with required site clearing and civil works. Upon confirmation of site topography, the company will finalize and adjust all site plans prior to the commencement of construction,? the statement said.
Furthermore, the selection of local engineering companies to work under XRAM Technologies Pty, the South African project engineers and managers, is also underway, it added.
Gulf said XRAM has commenced working with Transalloys Pty Ltd on the stripping and preparation of the two smelters purchased by Gulf prior to their shipping from Pretoria, South Africa, to Indonesia. Following the receipt of this approval from the East Nusa Tenggara Governor, import procedures can now be finalized.
Gulf said in August that it has finalized an agreement with South African-based Transalloys (Pty) Limited for the acquisition and relocation of two ferromanganese smelting furnaces worth US$1 million. Specialist engineering firm and XRAM Technologies (Pty) Limited has been engaged to undertake all design and construction requirements associated with the refurbishment and relocation of the furnaces to the Kupang Smelting Hub.
Gulf?s Managing Director, Hamish Bohannan, commented; ?We are very pleased to have secured approval for the development of the Kupang Smelting Hub, allowing the company to immediately commence site works in preparation for construction.
Significantly, no further approvals are required to allow Gulf to start the Kupang Smelting Hub construction program.?
Elsewhere, the company said that discussions are underway to amend the term sheet signed with cornerstone investor Marthen Amtiran.
Minor amendments to the term sheet are required, as the smelter hub location and associated approvals have now been altered from those stated in the original agreement. ?The Board is confident of securing this investment in the near-term.?
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak