Aneka Tambang misses sales target

JAKARTA (JP): State-owned mining company PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) failed to realize its sale target of Rp 380 billion last year, due to the lower price of nickel, bad weather and a malfunction at its plant and loading facility in South Sulawesi.

Antam's president, Darmoko Slamet, said yesterday his company last year targeted to reach a total sale of Rp 380 billion (US$161.7 million), of which Rp 298 billion would come from exports and Rp 82 billion from domestic sales.

He said the target assumed that the price of nickel on the world market would average at $3.65 per pound, but it only averaged $3.40 per pound.

He said the other causes included bad weather on Gebe Island, where its nickel mine is located, and a malfunction at its ferro nickel processing plant and bauxite loading facility, located in Pomalaa and Kijang, South Sulawesi respectively.

Darmoko said due to such conditions, his company only managed to sell about 2.1 million tons of nickel or 93 percent of the 2.25 million tons targeted for last year.

Last year's ferro nickel sales were only 93 percent of the target of 10,650 tons. About 36,000 kilograms in silver sales amounted to 63 percent of the target while bauxite sales of about 750,000 tons fell short of the target by 6 percent.

Gold sales totaled 1,929 kilograms, or 107 percent of the target, while iron ore sales amounted to about 391,000 tons, or 12 percent over the target.

Antam exported most of its mining products to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, South Africa and European countries.

Darmoko said this year, his company targeted to produce 2.8 million tons of nickel, 800,000 tons of bauxite, 425,000 tons of iron ore, 15,234 kilograms of silver, 2,000 kilograms of gold and 10,200 tons of ferro nickel.

The state enterprise, which targets to reach a total sale of $171.6 million for ferro nickel and $122.45 million for bauxite, will also modernize its ferro nickel plant this year. This will lead to an increase in its ferro nickel production. (bnt)