Minister Of Energy And Mineral Resources Reveals Plans To Downstream A Number Of Metal Mineral Commodities

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif (Photo: dock. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) as well as national industrial independence and resilience.

"Some of the main commodities that are prioritized for development include Nickel, Alumunium, Copper, Tin, Iron and Gold-Silver," Arifin said in his remarks at the Indonesia Mining Summit quoted Wednesday, October 11.

At this moment Arifin revealed a number of downstream plans that will be carried out on several types of these commodities.

For nickel commodities, with resources of 17.3 billion tons and reserves of 5.0 billion tons, it is wise to say that downstreaming is carried out through 3 nickel industrial lines from smelters (pirometalurgies) and leaching (hydrometelurgical), namely stainless steel; powder mettalurgy and alloying; and lithium ion batteries.

"In 2022, ferronicle production of 516.7 thousand tons, nickel nikel amounting to 76 thousand tons, and nickel ore amounting to 106.3 million tons," added Arifin.

Meanwhile, for bauxite commodities, Indonesia has 6.21 billion tons of resources and 3.1 billion tons of reserves and will be developed by Smelter Grade Alumina products to the aluminum industry such as aluminum sheet, aluminum bars, align aluminum sheet for car and construction factories. It is known that the production of bauxite in 2022 is 31.8 million tons.

Then for copper commodities with a resources of 15.8 billion tons and a reserve of 3.0 billion tons, the Copper tube industry will be developed for AC pipelines and refrigerators; Copper tips for cable ends; Copper busbar for control panels, electricity; Copper sheet to support the battery, wire and cable industries, as well as the development of EBT and EV.

"In 2022, 271 thousand tons of Copper cathode has been produced," continued Arifin.

Then tin commodities have a resource of 7.4 billion tons and a reserve of 6.9 billion tons. Tin mineral downstream products outside of solders or chemical tins can grow.

"In general, solder users are electronics manufacturers, solder factories, car manufacturers and chip factories. Chemical tin products users are PVC pipelines and food packaging plastics," said Arifin.

In 2022, lead metal production will be 56.1 thousand tons.

Meanwhile, for iron commodities, Indonesia has resources of 7.4 billion tons and reserves of 1.7 billion tons and iron processing will be carried out which is directed to become concentrate, pellets, iron sand concentrate, and direct reduction iron.

Arifin believes that investment needs to be carried out massively so that the steel industry in Indonesia can meet the national steel needs which is projected to continue to increase while iron concentrate production in 2022 is 3.2 million tons.

Finally, for gold commodities with 16.45 billion tons of resources and reserves of 3.9 billion tons, as well as Silver which has 10.55 billion tons of resources and 3.12 billion tons of reserves, the development of its downstream industry is directed to technology, central banks, silver wares and photography.

"In 2022, gold production will be 105.4 tons, and silver metal at 443.9 tons," said Arifin.