MIND ID Strengthens Production Capacity 900 Thousand KTPA

President Director of MIND ID Maroef Sjamsoeddin. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Mining Industry Holding MIND ID through PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminum (INALM) is preparing to increase the national aluminum production capacity to reach 900,000 tons per year (KTPA) in 2029, up from the current installed capacity of 275,000 KTA.

President Director of MIND ID Maroef Sjamsoeddin explained that this step was sought to continue to reduce the distance between supply and demand for national aluminum, which currently reaches 1.2 million tons per year.

"Domic aluminum consumption is expected to increase by around 600 percent in the next 30 years, especially to support the electric vehicle (EV) and battery ecosystem," he said in a statement, Sunday, July 27.

Maroef said that the use of aluminum materials for one battery pack reached 18 percent, and the need for production of a PV solar with a capacity of 1 MW requires about 21 tons of aluminum.

He added that his party is currently preparing a new aluminum production facility project in Mempawah with a production capacity of up to 600 KTPA and when combined with the existing facility owned by INALUM, the total capacity of MIND ID will reach around 900 KTPA.

As for the upstream sector, Maroef said MIND ID has operated the Smelter Grade Alumina Refinery (SGAR) Phase I with a capacity of 1 million alumina tons per year, which is the main raw material for aluminum production.

According to him, this is done to strengthen the sustainability of alumina supply, SGAR Phase II is also being prepared and will increase production capacity by 1 million tons per year.

He added that through PT Aneka Tambang Tbk, he also prepared to strengthen the supply of bauxite ore by building a reservoir bauxite facility of 1.47 million tons per year in the Mempawah operational area.

To ensure the integration of supply chains from upstream to downstream in the Mempawah operational area, Maroef visited SGAR Phase I in Mempawah.

Together with the Board of Commissioners and Directors of the MIND ID Group, Maroef reviewed the production process for the SGAR Phase I alumina, preparation for the construction of SGAR Phase II, as well as plans for the construction of a new aluminum smelter.

Maroef said that bauxite, alumina, and aluminum are raw materials that have a crucial role in supporting the sustainable manufacturing and renewable energy industry in Indonesia.

"The MIND ID Group is committed to driving integrated aluminum downstream to strengthen Indonesia's position as a world aluminum producer, and is able to be sovereign in supporting the manufacturing industry as well as reducing import dependence," he said.

Maroef ensured that the expansion of the capacity of the aluminum downstream ecosystem will pay attention to sustainable production aspects and world-class operational excellence.

He added that ID also ensures that the maintenance and reliability of each strategic project is more efficient, transparent, and adaptive to market dynamics.

In project development, Maroef said that MIND ID also ensures integration in supporting infrastructure such as logistics, as well as paying attention to social sustainability around operational areas.

"For MIND ID, strengthening an integrated downstream ecosystem is an investment for the future of the nation. We must manage it with responsibility, professionalism, and a spirit of transformation so that Indonesia becomes a sovereign country in supporting its natural resource-based industrialization," concluded Maroef.