REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TIMIKA -- Papua Governor Lukas Enembe has positively welcomed an agreement between the government and PT Freeport Indonesia for the construction of a smelter in Timika, Papua.

"We welcome the agreement on the construction of a smelter that has been reached for reaping the benefits of integrated development in the industrial area of Timika," Enembe remarked here on Monday.

The governor noted that Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said and Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadi Mulyono have inked an agreement with PT Freeport Indonesia and other stakeholders to build a smelter in Timika at the earliest.

Constructing a smelter in Timika is part of the government's efforts to boost the nation's mineral ore processing capacity as mandated by Law No. 4/2009 on Mineral and Coal Mining.

Governor Enembe remarked that since several years, Papua's provincial government has chalked out a plan to develop Timika into an industrial estate.

"Now, the task of the local government is to prepare a team to select companies that have the ability and capacity to engage in the construction of an industrial estate in Timika," the governor explained.

According to him, the location for the construction of a smelter in Timika did not pose a problem as the district government has provided the required land.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika