KETAPANG (Yosefardi) – PT Well Harvest Winning Alumina Refinery (WHW), a joint venture company between Harita Group, China Hong Qiao Group, Winning Investment Ltd and Danpac Resources Kalbar, has kicked off alumina bauxite smelter establishment on Wednesday (July 17).
The West Kalimantan smelter is valued approximately for US$1 billion. Harita will support up to 30% of total fund while the rest will come from third party.
In the first phase, the smelter will have capacity of one million tons of alumina and may start commercial operation by 2015. In the second phase, the capacity will be doubled to two million tons and will be fully operated by 2017.
Lim Gunawan Haryanto, CEO of Harita Group, said the smelter production will supply alumina to PT Inalum Asahan in North Sumatera.
Vice Minister of Energy Susilo Siswoutomo, Director General of Mineral and Coal Thamrin Sihite, Director General of Industry and Manufacture Panggah Susanto, Vice Governor of West Kalimantan Christiandy Sanjaya and Vice Regent of Ketapang Boyman Harun attended the groundbreaking ceremony.
By Hatman Bintang