Smelting obtains key recommendation to export anode slime

Petromindo

PT Smelting Gresik, which operates the country?s only copper smelter, has obtained a key recommendation letter for the export of anode slime with an export quota of 2,149 tons for a year.

Director General of Mineral and Coal at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Bambang Gatot Ariyono said on Wednesday that the export recommendation letter, valid for a year, was issued by the ministry for the company on March 6.

The export recommendation letter is necessary for the company to be able to obtain export permit from the Ministry of Trade.

Smelting operates a copper smelter in Gresik, East Java, processing about 40 percent of PT Freeport Indonesia?s copper concentrates production. Anode slime is a by-product from the copper smelter.

Bambang said that the issuance of the export recommendation letter for Smelting has been in line with existing regulations as the company plans to team up with IDX-listed mining firm PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (Antam) to build an anode slime refinery that would further process anode slime into precious metals including gold and silver.

Antam and Smelting have signed a MoU for the development of a precious metal refinery in Pulogadung, East Jakarta, with a capacity of 6,000 tons of anode slime per year.

Antam Director of Development Johan Nababan was quoted by Bisnis Indonesia as saying Thursday that the estimated US$120 million smelter project will be solely built by the company. Smelting will supply the required anode slime. (*)