JAKARTA, May 22 (Xinhua) -- PT Freeport Indonesia's (PTFI) smelter in East Java province will restart copper cathode production in June after halting operations due to a fire last October, a senior official said.
PTFI President Director Tony Wenas said that the Gresik Regency-based smelter is now operational and will begin producing copper cathode in the fourth week of June.
"Originally, the smelter was scheduled to start production in the third week of June (processing concentrates). However, repairs progressed faster than expected," Tony said in a statement issued on Thursday.
The president director noted that he, alongside other management personnel, visited Gresik Regency to oversee the process and ensure its smooth operation.
"The visit by the company's top officials was to confirm that PTFI's smelter resumes operations smoothly following the force majeure event on Oct. 14, 2024," Tony said.
According to him, PTFI's smelter will gradually increase production capacity from the current 40 percent to full capacity by December. ■
