Harita optimistic to achieve 500,000t alumina output this year

By Thomas sembiring

PT Harita Prima Mineral Abadi said that its alumina smelter in Ketapang, West Kalimantan, has produced around 224,000 tons of alumina per September of this year since it started commercial operation in June.

Erry Sofyan, President Director of Harita, told Petromindo.com on Friday that production until end of this year is expected to reach around 500,000 tons. ?The (output target) can be achieved,? he said.

He added the entire output has been exported to China.

Harita, a subsidiary of IDX-listed Cita Mineral Investindo Tbk, through PT Well Harvest Winning Alumina Refinery, a joint venture with China?s Hongqiao Group, operates a 1 million-ton per annum capacity of alumina smelter.

Well Harvest, 75 percent owned by Hongqiao, plans to develop a total of 4 million tons per year capacity alumina smelter in Ketapang. The second smelter, with capacity of 1 million tons per year, will require investment of about US$1.15 billion.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak