Indonesian mining BUMN Holding company MIND ID revealed that PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (ANTM) -owned nickelite minerals processing and refining (smelter) facility in East Hamahera, North Maluku, will be operational by early 2023.
On September 12, 2022, MIND ID President Hendi Prio Santoso said that the East Haltim ferronickel plant will be operational next year, in part because Antam's management team agreed to a power Sales and Purchase agreement (PJBTL) with PT PLN in April 2022, PLN is committed to start power distribution early next year.
Meanwhile, Antam President Nico Kanter explains that this will certainly have an impact on investment cost inflation as projects are delayed. According to Nico, the directors had previously intended to sign the PJBTL in December 2021 so that power supply to the smelter could start in September 2022. But it was postponed to April 2022.
According to Antam's records, the ferronickel plant in East Har Mahra, North Maluku, will have a capacity of 13,500 tonnes of ferronickel per year. If construction of the plant is completed, it will increase Antam's annual nickel-iron capacity portfolio to a total of 40,500 tonnes. To meet the power demand, PLN will bring in two 51 MW gas engine power plant (PLTMG) dual fuel systems from the South Sumatra region and a 60 MW dual fuel system from Jambi to East Hamahara to optimise power supply to Antam's smelter.
