Timah produces thorium at rare earth plant
Monday, March 14 2016 - 03:28 AM WIB
IDX-listed tin giant PT Timah Tbk said that its mini rare earth processing plant in Bangka Belitung has successfully produced rare earth hydroxides RE OH3, with one of the side products called thorium, a radioactive metal that can be used as fuel in nuclear reactor.
?The mini plant with capacity of 50 kg per day has succeeded in producing RE OH3 with one of the side products is thorium. We?re planning to expand (the plant) into industrial scale,? Timah President Director Sukrisno told Petromindo.com.
He said that the thorium will be sold to a company called PT Inuki for radioisotopes production. He did not provide further details.
Meanwhile, Ronggo Kuncahyo, Expert Staff to the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, said that he has obtained information from the Investment Coordinating Board that an investor from the US plans to team up with Timah to develop a thorium-base nuclear reactor in Bangka Belitung as part of a long-term plan to build a nuclear power plant in the country.
As has been previously reported by this portal, Timah is planning expand its rare earth mini plant in Tanjung Ular Mentok, West Bangka Regency, Bangka Belitung Province, into industry-scale operation in 2018 with capacity of at least 500 tons per year.
The plant processes monazite, a by-product of tin production, into high value rare earth metals used as raw material in the production of high-tech manufacturing products such as magnets for hybrid cars, TVs, and smart phones.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak