Bahlil Story Of The Dynamics Of The Gresik Smelter Project: Had Wanted To Be Moved To North Maluku To Be Protested By Papua

Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia (Photo: Screenshot by Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Investment Minister/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia told the dynamics of the PT Freeport Indonesia smelter construction process, at the Java Integrated Industrial and Ports Estate (JIIPE), Gresik, East Java.

Bahlil said the construction of the Freeport smelter was a long journey. He said the construction of the smelter was a fulfillment of commitments when Freeport's (KK) contract was changed to a special mining business permit (IUPK) in 2018.

Furthermore, Bahlil said the construction of this smelter was not easy because it was changing locations. In fact, the smelter had wanted to be moved to North Maluku.

"I know very well that building this smelter is not easy. This was about to be shifted to North Maluku, the dynamics is asking for forgiveness," he said during the inauguration of the Gresik Smelter operation, quoted from YouTube Freeport Indonesia, Thursday, June 27.

Bahlil said the dynamics did not stop there. The smelter, which is planned to be built in Gresik, also received protests from the Papuan people. The reason is that they want the produce from the mine in Papua to be built also in Papua.

Papua also asked why a copper from Papua was built in East Java, it was also the dynamic of asking for forgiveness," he said.

After a long dynamic, continued Bahlil, in 2021, it was finally decided that the meter would be built in Gresik, East Java. However, the construction process was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"When 2021 we decided to immediately build, COVID-19, and today together we can witness with a procession of commissioning operations (in Gresik)," he said.

Previously, it was reported that the government inaugurated the second copper smelter belonging to PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) at the Java Integrated Industrial and Ports Estate (JIIPE), Gresik, East Java, today. The smelter can produce 60 tons and 220 tons of copper per year.

PTFI President Director Tony Wenas said that the newly inaugurated smelter was successfully completed within five years. Where for 1.5 years it is used for land maturation.

"Alhamdulillah, we can inaugurate the PTFI operation which is quite challenging to complete it," he said at the inauguration of the Gresik Smelter operation, quoted from YouTube Freeport Indonesia, Thursday, June 27.

"We can achieve it, we can adjust it according to schedule and not thanks to the support of all parties," he continued.

Tony also said the newly inaugurated smelter is the largest single line smelter in the world and has a production capacity of up to 1.7 million tons of copper concentrate. Meanwhile, the output from this smelter produces 600,000 to 700,000 copper cathodes.

"It can also be refined here in December, later on, the anode lumput will produce gold and silver as well as several other metals, the amount of gold is approximately 50 to 60 tons, the silver is 220 tons per year," he said.