OPN starts to export nickel ores to China

PT Obi Prima Nikel (OPN), a nickel producer in South Halmahera, has made its first export with shipment of 3,000 tons of nickel ores to China, Antara news agency reported Tuesday.

Deputy Regent of the South Halmahera Rusli A. Wally said Tuesday that OPN is one of the three companies that are mining nickel in South Halmahera.

Two other nickel producers are PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) and PT Gane Permai Sentosa which were still in a production preparation phase, he said.

Rusli said that in conjunction with the first export of nickel to China, PT OPN also handed over a captive power with a capacity of 250 kilovolt amper (KVA) to help solve the electricity problem facing several villages around the mining site.

South Halmahera government has targeted a regional revenue of up to Rp 40 billion from the mining sector once the three mining companies have come into full operation. (*)