PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) has confirmed that its smelter project in the JIIPE region of Gresik is set to commence operations in June 2024. Tony Wenas, President Director of Freeport Indonesia, recently visited the smelter to monitor its construction progress.
Currently, the company is in the commissioning phase, involving tests and trials to ensure the equipment and systems operate as designed. This phase is critical for the substantial completion of the project.
“We expect to be operational by June,” Wenas stated during his visit on May 25. He emphasized that the smelter’s construction underscores the company’s commitment to enhancing the value of minerals and supporting the Indonesian government’s policy of industrial downstreaming.
The second PTFI smelter, under construction since October 2021, is designed to refine copper concentrate with a capacity of 1.7 million tons per year, making it the world’s largest copper refining facility by design. The smelter includes a Precious Metal Refining Unit, Oxygen Unit, Sulfuric Acid Unit, Desalination Unit, and an Effluent and Waste Water Treatment Plant, aiming for high efficiency in smelting and refining processes.
Currently, 60% of PTFI’s copper concentrate production is exported, with the remaining 40% refined domestically at PT Smelting in Gresik, East Java, into copper cathodes. The new smelter will allow 100% of the anode sludge, which contains gold and silver, to be refined domestically.
Wenas acknowledged the challenges of completing the world’s largest single-line copper smelter but praised the project team’s performance. Support from Central and Regional Governments has been instrumental in keeping the project on schedule.
Agung Laksamana, EVP External Affairs at PT Freeport Indonesia, reiterated that the smelter is scheduled to begin operations in June 2024, with production ramping up to full capacity by the end of December 2024.
Siti Sumilah Rita Susilawati, Secretary of the Directorate General of Minerals and Coal at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, reported that monitoring of the smelter’s progress has shown positive results, with no significant obstacles. The project is expected to be ready for commissioning by the end of May. 
