The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo inaugurate the construction of the PT. Freeport Indonesia smelter on Tuesday, 12th of October 2021 in Special Economic Zone (KEK), Gresik. The smelter to be built is with a single line design, the largest in the world because it is capable of processing 1.7 million tons of copper concentrate per year, said by the President. Not only producing copper cathodes, this smelter also has a precious metal refining facility that produces products in the form of gold, silver, and other precious metals.
President Jokowi said that during the construction period of the PT Freeport Indonesia smelter, is expected to absorb 40,000 workers and will increase over time when the smelter is ready to operate. He also hopes that the presence of the PT Freeport Indonesia smelter will attracts other industries, especially the copper derivative industry, to invest in the Gresik SEZ. He ensured that he would continue to improve Indonesia's investment climate, starting from infrastructure, ease and certainty of doing business, to the availability of human resources.
Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir revealed that this smelter (Freeport) will invest Rp 42 trillion, whose function is a copper refining facility to produce copper cathodes and a precious metal refining facility to produce gold, silver and of course other precious metals. This smelter is projected to produce an average of 35 tons of gold per year, with a transaction value of IDR 30 trillion per year, he added.
