Want To Work On Rare Earth Metals, TINS: Constrained Spec

Rare earth metals that become follow-up minerals in lead produced by PT Timah in the Metalurgi Unit of PT Timah Muntok, West Bangka Regency.

PANGKALPINANG - PT Timah Tbk (TINS) revealed that the company has plans to develop a rare earth metal project or the Rare Earth Element (REE). Just so you know, there are several types of rare earth metals that are part of tin commodities, including monasit, xenotim and zircon.

Timah Business Development Director Suhendra Yusuf Ratuprawiranegara said that in the future the company does have a future orientation to develop a treasure that can be used for this nuclear plant.

"So, at this time tin is indeed focused on tin mining. But actually the following minerals have not been optimized for production. Well, in terms of business development, I will enter the area," Suhendra told the media crew quoted Monday, August 25.

Tit for tat, Suhendra said this plan reached support from President Prabowo Subianto. Last week, he continued, the company's board of directors was summoned to Prabowo's residence in Hambalang to discuss the development of rare earth metal projects.

"In the future, Indonesia will focus on processing REE and that's the source in tin. Monazite, so the basis for REE is monazite," he continued.

Hendra further said that research related to the development of LTJ had been carried out since 2010 but faced problems in terms of the quality of LTJ produced.

He explained that the company is not worried about supply quantities, but the quality of the following minerals. Based on the rules, the phosphate minerals contained do not meet the requirements to be developed.

"There are requirements if I'm not mistaken, it is at 50 ppm for the content of the phosphate, while what is done by PT Timah is still above that, so it does not meet the requirements," he explained.

In fact, he continued, this development project has been carried out on Snake Island, Bangka, but until now the bum is running due to problems with the specifications of the content in the accompanying minerals.

"There are some that have not been met and that must be done again to see how the terms or specifications are met," said Suhendra.