As A Result Of The Burned Smelter, Freeport Wants To Recalculate The Copper Production Target By The End Of 2024

Freeport smelter (Photo: Screenshot of Setpres)

PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) is known to be recalculating the copper cathode target that will be produced by the end of the year. This is due to a fire incident in the PTFI smelter sulfate acid unit in the Gresik Special Economic Zone, East Java, on Monday, October 14.

As previously reported, this smelter is targeted to fully operate by the end of 2024 with a production of 650,000 tons of copper cathodes.

"We have to re-estimate it again. We don't know yet. There is an incident like this (fire). This is a problem, which means we have to finish the problem. It must be annoying for sure," said Director of Portfolio and Business Development MIND ID, Dilo Seno Widagdo to the media when met in Jakarta. Tuesday 15 October.

Dilo added that currently the smelter is actually still in the commissioning stage. With the fire incident, the purification activity will be temporarily suspended and an investigation will be carried out to determine the cause of the fire.

He also believes that this target can still be met by the end of 2024.

"Actually, maybe the year-end target is not met, but that doesn't mean we can't produce it," continued Dilo.

Dilo further added, with the temporary suspension of this smelter activity, his party will repair the damage caused by the fire incident.

"Now we are fixing everything, so we will fix it while we stop it for a while, while we see what is the cause, the interlocks are all. That's in Plant Acid, everything is new. This system is on. This is a model. It's like using a PLC, now what we're looking for is why," said Dilo.