PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) targets the Manyar Smelter Project in Gresik to reach 50% by the end of 2022.

VP Government Relations PTFI Harry Pancasakti revealed that the downstream program is still running well.

"The Gresik smelter is on target and Insyaallah at the end of December reached 50% of its construction," harry said at the Indonesia Energy and Mineral Conference 2022, Monday (19/12).

Harry continued, the entire construction process is targeted to be completed in December 2023. Further, the commissioning process and operations can begin in 2024.

Harry explained, with the completion of this smelter, all copper concentrate production can be refined domestically. Currently, Freeport Indonesia's production reaches 200 thousand tons of copper ore per day. As much as 40% is refined by PTFI in its existing smelter facility while the remaining 60% is still exported. Production capacity is also targeted to increase next year.

"For 2023 there is an increase of 10% so it rises to the level of 220 thousand tons of ore per day that is mined and processed," explained Harry.

The Manyar smelter is designed to have a copper concentrate processing capacity of 2 million tons per year. With this capacity, the Manyar Smelter is said to be the largest copper processing site in the world.

According to the plan, the processing results of the Manyar Smelter will be added to the processing capacity of the smelter that has been operating, namely PT Smelting, with a processing capacity of 1 million tons of copper concentrate every year. Thus, once the Manyar Smelter is operational, PTFI will be able to process 3 million tons of copper concentrate per year.

Image source: ANTARA FOTO/Dian Kandipi/wpa/hp.