Ministry allows two Harita firms to export low grade nickel ores
Monday, July 31 2017 - 02:21 AM WIB
The paper quoted the directorate general?s Director for Mineral Development Program Bambang Susigit as saying that the ministry has recommended PT Trimegah Bangun Persada to get export quota of 1,559,799 tons of low grade nickel ores, and PT Gane Permai Sentosa to get export quota of 519,933 tons of low grade nickel ores.
Bambang said that the ministry has completed evaluation of the request from the two companies to get export recommendation letter. The export recommendation letter was given as Harita has completed development of required domestic smelter. The export recommendation letter is required to be able to get export permit from the Ministry of Trade.
As has been previously reported by this portal, Harita Group, through subsidiary PT Megah Surya Pertiwi (MSP) has developed a US$320 million ferronickel smelter on Obi Island, North Maluku Province. Construction of the smelter project started in 2015, and reports said that the smelter started commissioning in October of last year. MSP partners with a number of Chinese firms including Xinxing Ductile Iron Pipes (Singapore) Pte. Ltd, Qiyun Investment Holdings Pte. Ltd, and Corsa Investments Pte. Ltd in developing the smelter which has capacity to produce 100,000 tons of ferronickel per year. The smelter will also receive nickel ore supplies from Trimegah Bangun and Gane Permai.
The Indonesian Refinery and Processing Companies Association (AP3I) has been protesting the ministry?s policy to allow the export of low grade nickel ores, as it has contributed to the weakening of the global nickel price, which has in turn caused some domestic nickel smelters to close down.
The ministry has previously issued permit for a few of companies to export low grade nickel ores and washed bauxite following the introducing of the policy in early January of this year.(*)