PT Aneka Tambang (ASX:ATM) has initiated the first bauxite injection phase at the Smelter Grade Alumina Refinery (SGAR) Mempawah Project in Indonesia.
The $4.95 billion market capitalisation company says this phase marks the commissioning stage of the project, which is the result of cooperation between PT Aneka Tambang (ANTAM) and PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium; a Member of PT Mineral Industri Indonesia — the state-owned enterprise of the mining industry.
ANTAM will supply bauxite ore from its mines in West Kalimantan as the main raw material for alumina production at SGAR Mempawah.
To achieve the production target of 1 million tonnes of alumina, SGAR requires around 3.3 million tonnes of washed bauxite.
ANTAM President Director Nico Kanter says that SGAR Mempawah will be a key pillar in the national aluminium industry supply chain.
“SGAR Mempawah plays a central role in creating an integrated aluminium industry ecosystem from upstream to downstream, as well as meeting the needs of other industries that require high-quality alumina,” Kanter says.
“As a manager of mineral resources, we are committed to optimising the potential of bauxite to increase the competitiveness of the national industry. We believe, with the operation of SGAR Mempawah, Indonesia’s position as a major player in the global bauxite industry will be even stronger.”
The President of the Republic of Indonesia carried out the inauguration of the first bauxite injection on 29 September 2024. Several officials, including Minister Erick Thohir, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, and directors and commissioners also attended the event.
The SGAR Mempawah Project is managed by PT Borneo Alumina Indonesia with 60% share ownership by INALUM and 40% by Aneka Tambang. The project is forecast to start the commercial operation in the first half of 2025.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: ANTAM
