Jakarta (VNA) - The Indonesian Mining Industry Holding MIND ID is preparing to increase the national aluminum production capacity to reach 900,000 tonnes per year in 2029, up from the current installed capacity of 275,000 tonnes.
President Director of MIND ID Maroef Sjamsoeddin, explained that this step was sought to continue to reduce the distance between supply and demand for national aluminum, which currently reaches 1.2 million tonnes per year.
The MIND ID Group is committed to driving integrated aluminum downstream to strengthen Indonesia's position as a world aluminum producer, and is able to be sovereign in supporting the manufacturing industry as well as reducing import dependence, he said.
Domestic aluminum consumption is expected to increase by around 600% in the next 30 years, especially to support the electric vehicle (EV) and battery ecosystem, Maroef said, adding that the use of aluminum materials for one battery pack reached 18%, and the need for production of a PV solar with a capacity of 1 MW requires about 21 tonnes of aluminum.
He added that his company is currently preparing a new aluminum production facility project in Mempawah with a production capacity of up to 600 KTPA and when combined with the existing facility owned by INALUM, the total capacity of MIND ID will reach around 900 KTPA.
As for the upstream sector, Maroef said MIND ID has operated the Smelter Grade Alumina Refinery (SGAR) Phase I with a capacity of 1 million alumina tonnes per year. SGAR Phase II is also being prepared and will increase production capacity by 1 million tonnes per year.
He added that through PT Aneka Tambang Tbk, he also prepared to strengthen the supply of bauxite ore by building a reservoir bauxite facility of 1.47 million tonnes per year in the Mempawah operational area.
In project development, Maroef said that MIND ID also ensures integration in supporting infrastructure such as logistics, as well as paying attention to social sustainability around operational areas./.
