JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara (NNT) has on Tuesday (June 3) stopped all activities of processing and production for copper concentrate at Batu Hijau mine, West Sumbawa, as the storage facility is on full capacity, Investor Daily reported this morning.
However Newmont opts to maintain its workers to work on the mine site, instead of opting the layoffs.
Newmont is now awaiting the government’s decision or willingness to resume the export of copper concentrate, or to revoke the ban policy.
Newmont said it is committed, along with PT Freeport Indonesia, to build a smelter. Newmont also supply copper concentrate to 2 local companies that operate smelters. Currently Newmonts supplies copper concentrate to PT Smelting Gresik.
Newmont is allowed to produce 527,136 metric tons of copper concentrate this year, higher than 316,581 metric tons last year.