PT Timah Tin Chemicals Plant to Start Operation in March

SHANGHAI, Feb. 22 -- PT Timah said it hopes to start operating Indonesia's first tin chemical factory being built in Cilegon, Java next month. Construction of the factory started in January 2009 with an investment of Rp150 billion (US$16.1 million), the company's spokesman Anhar Ramli told the Antara news agency. The factory will start operation in March with an annual capacity of 10,000 tonnes, to be expanded to 30,000 tonnes in 2013, Anhar said. The plant will produce tin-based PVC stabilizers aimed at growing construction and packaging markets. In another downstream investment, Timah opened a 2,100 tpy capacity solder factory in Kundur in June 2009. The plant produces tin-lead and lead-free solder wire.

In a separate report, Timah's President Director Wahid Usman told Metal Bulletin about plans to add seven new dredges to its fleet in 2010-2011. "Five cutter section dredges will be ready by this year, while two large bucket wheel dredges will start operating at the end of 2011" said Usman. PT Timah currently owns 14 ordinary dredges and 10 cutter section dredges, and also operates 30 other rented cutter section dredges. Up to 70% of its total production is expected to come from offshore dredging by 2012. Timah has 500,000 ha of mining areas both onshore and offshore in Indonesia, with estimated tin resources of up to 1 million tonnes that it can mine up to 2025.