Smelters to be built near ores, power supplies

By Bambang Atmaja

The government said that the planned development of smelting facilities would be focused on area located near the mining sites to supply mineral ores and where the power supply is available.

Industry Minister MS Hidayat said that miners may build processing and smleting facilities from small, medium or big size.

"Location will be chosen in productive mining area with the area where the power supply is available," he told Petromindo.com at the State Palace.

In term of financing for smelter, the minister said that it could be obtained from a cooperation with foreign investors.

"We ask (miners) to tie cooperation with investors from overseas. At least the local miners could offer a guarantee for concentrate supply," said Hidayat. "It is a useful long term investment," he said.

Editing Adianto P. Simamora