PT. Smelting on expansion mode

Indonesian copper producer PT Smelting will start second plant expansion next month to increase cathode production capacity to 270,000 tpy from 260,000 currently.

The company said in a paper presented in a mining conference in Jakarta that construction of a scrubbing plant and installation of additional 36 electrolyte cells and a new rectifier are the main investment for this expansion.

The paper did not say when the second phase expansion would be complete.

The paper also revealed third phase expansion to further increase cathode production capacity to 286,000 tpy is also being considered.

PT. Smelting Sources its copper concentrate requirement from Papua miner PT. Freeport Indonesia (PT-FI).

PT Smelting, located in Gresik (East Java), is the only copper smelter in Indonesia. PT-FI has 25 percent shares in the company. Other owners are Mitsubishi Materials Corporation (60.5 percent), Mitsubishi Corporation (9.5 percent), Nippon Mining & Metals Co (5 percent). (alex)