Hydro plans alumina smelter in Tayan

Norway aluminium firm HYDRO is interested to build alumina smelter in Tayan, West Kalimantan, a government official said on Tuesday.

Ministry of Energy?s Expert Staff R. Sukhyar told reporters that Hydro?s company officials, together with its Indonesian partners have paid an audience to Minister of Energy Purnomo Yusgiantoro, expressing interest in the project.

Luki Wanandi, CEO of PT. Indonesia Alumina, which will be one of Hydro?s local partners told reporters that the partnership would either team up with state nickel miner PT.Aneka Tambang, which also plans alumina plant in Tayan, or would go alone. ?There?s plenty of bauxite reserves in Tayan for us to go alone,? he said.

Wanandi also said the partnership has also commissioned a feasibility study on the project, which will be completed by year-end.

According to Wanandi, Hydro plans to build a smelter that would produce 3 million tonne of smelter grade alumina per annum. Bauxite for the smelter would be supplied by several local miners around the smelter. (bernard)