PT Kapuas Prima Coal Tbk ( ZINC ), a listed base metal producer in Indonesia, continues to intensify lead smelter production, which has been trialled since early 2022. This is one of ZINC's efforts to support the mineral downstream process set by the Government.

Previously, the Government had started to implement export ban regulations for certain mineral commodities that did not meet the purification level. Therefore, business actors in the mining sector are required to immediately complete the smelter project within the given time limit in order to continue to receive an export quota.

ZINC as one of the issuers that produces metallic minerals ranging from lead, zinc and iron ore, continues to carry out various efforts to realize the regulations made by the Government. Where, ZINC has completed the construction of one of the smelters, namely the lead smelter, and has started commercial operations in early June 2022.

In addition, ZINC is currently pursuing the completion of a zinc smelter which is targeted to be completed in the second quarter of 2023. Evelyn Kioe, as Director of ZINC, expressed her gratitude because this year she was able to complete one of the lead smelters in Central Kalimantan.

"Despite being constrained by Covid-19, at the beginning of this year we finally started to test production and in May 2022, the lead smelter has been verified 100% by PT Surveyor Indonesia and PT Kapuas Prima Citra officially operating commercially. As the first lead smelter and the only one in Indonesia, we target this year the lead smelter can produce up to 8,000 tons of lead bullion (Pb), with a sales target of the smelter reaching USD 29 million," he said in an official statement received by Kontan, Friday (10/6).

Meanwhile, for the ZINC zinc smelter, currently the construction process has reached around 85%. Later, the smelter is targeted to produce up to 30,000 tons of ingots per year. The existence of the Company's zinc smelter is expected to help meet the demand for zinc commodities in the country, where until now this commodity is still 100% imported.

On the other hand, until the first quarter of 2022, ZINC recorded sales of Rp. 204.5 billion. ZINC's revenue in the first quarter of 2022 was still dominated by sales of zinc (Zn) commodities with a contribution of IDR 95.1 billion, while sales of lead (Pb) commodities reached IDR 31.6 billion. ZINC's revenue also came from sales of silver commodities amounting to Rp39.2 billion, as well as sales of iron concentrate which was recorded at Rp38.6 billion.

"We are optimistic that, with the economy starting to recover and Covid-19 increasingly under control, ZINC can continue its good performance growth until the end of 2022. Supported by commodity prices that are still stable, we are optimistic that we can achieve our sales target of up to IDR 1.2 trillion by 2020. 2022," Evelyne concluded.

Source: https://industri.kontan.co.id/news/kapuas-prima-coal-zinc-gencarkan-produksi-smelter-timbal-pertama-di-indonesia