JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – PT Sulawesi Mining Investment (SMI) allocates US$2.49 billion to invest on nickel smelter project in Morowali, Southeast Sulawesi.
SMI plans to build nickel smelter with capacity of 300,000 tons per year and costs US$635,57 million. it is now constructing the smelter, phase 2, with capacity of 600,000 tons which costs US$1.04 billion.
SMI also plans to build new smelter, phase 3, with capacity of 300,000 tons per year and cost of US$820 million, targeted to operate in 2017.
SMI also targets to complete the construction of stainless steel with capacity of 2 million tons per year, stainless steel cold rolled coils with capacity of 600,000 tons per year, and stainless steel hot rolled coils.
Energi and Minerals Ministry (ESDM) said six new nickel smelters are expected to be developed this year with investment cost of Rp11.93 trillion in total.
PT Sambas Mineral Mining will produce 1,000 tons of ferronickel per month or 12,000 tons per year with investment cost of US$10 million or Rp130 billion.
PT Macika Mineral Industri will also produce 53,680 tons of ferrinickel with investment cost of US$61 million or Rp793 billion.
PT Bintang Delapan plans to produce ferronickel with investment cost of US$636 million or Rp8.26 trillion.
While PT Karyatama Konawe Utara will produce 50,000 tons of nickel pig iron per year with investment cost of US$45 million or Rp585 billion. PT Fajar Bakti Lintas Nusantara also plans to invest Rp200 billion on nickel pig iron production.
Meanwhile PT Gebe Central Nickel is set to produce 6,000 tons of pure nickel with investment cost of US$150 million or Rp1.95 trillion.