Freeport Smelter Expected to Boost Fertilizer Output
12 June 2015 14:00 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - PT Pupuk Indonesia is waiting for the completion of a mineral smelter construction belonging to PT Freeport Indonesia in Gresik, East Java. Pupuk Indonesia corporate secretary Bagus Nurdadi said the smelter operation will help increase the national fertilizer production and stocks.
The company's subsidiary, Petrokimia Gresik, has teamed up with Freeport to build the smelter since January 25 this year. Petrokimia prepared a land area of 80 hectares.
Later, the smelter will produce sulfuric acid as a byproduct, which will be supplied to Petrokimia Gresik as a material to manufacture NPK fertilizers.
Sometime ago, the East Java Provincial Government asked Freeport to process copper in province so the commodity does not go to export. "If [the copper processed] can be East Java's buffer stock; it would be nice," East Java Governor Soekarwo said in Surabaya, last week.
Soekarwo said the copper smelter output must fulfill the Domestic Market Obligation, so that it will be used on behalf of the interests of East Java.
SINGGGIH SOARES | ARTIKA RACHMI FARMITA (SURABAYA)
