JAKARTA. PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (ANTM), a part of the state-owned mining industry holding, has started the first phase of the operational of Haltim Ferronickel Plant in North Maluku.

The initial stage was marked with turning on the burner (burner-on) or heating the furnace on July 7, 2023, prior to the channelling of electricity. After the burner-on process, ANTM will then switch the furnace in the Haltim Ferronickel Plant on.

I Dewa Wirantaya, Director of Business Development of ANTM, said that the first phase of this plant commissioning shows the company’s commitment in completing its strategic projects in 2023. “The construction of Haltim Ferronickel Plant is an implementation of the mineral downstreaming initiative designed by ANTM to strengthen mineral industry in Indonesia,” he explained.

It is worth mentioning that the Haltim Ferronickel Plant will manage a capacity of 13,500 tons of nickels in ferronickels (TNi). This plant is projected to support ferronickel production for Kolaka Ferronickel Plant in Southeast Sulawesi, holding a capacity of 27,000 TNi. Thus, the future ferronickel production capacity of ANTM will reach 40,500 TNi.

“We hope this series of plant commissioning will be carried out smoothly, thus being able to generate immediate benefits for the company, the nation, and the state,” Wirantaya said. (KR/ZH)