Indonesian Political, Business & Finance News

Freeport Indonesia pays US$1.2bn in tax

| Source: AT
Apr 20, 2006

Freeport Indonesia pays US$1.2bn in tax

JAYAPURA, Papua - PT Freeport Indonesia (FI), which has been in the spotlight for alleged environmental-unfriendly gold, silver and copper mining activities in Tembagapura, Mimika district, paid US$1.2 billion in tax, dividends and royalties to the Indonesian government last year.

The report was revealed to ANTARA by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komas HAM) of Papua chapter.

PT Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of US giant copper and gold company Freeport McMoRan, also paid the government US$3.8 billion in 1992-2004, the commission said.

The National Commission on Human Rights received the report from PT Freeport Indonesia in Timika, capital of Mimika district, last week.

PT FI has thus made contribution of US$4.4 billion totally between 1973, the time the joint company started its operation, and 2005.

Indirect benefit which was made by the world`s third largest gold mining firm totaled US$736 million in 2005 including US$64 million for local people development program.

Hence, the company gave indirect financial advantage of US$9.99 billion to the government between 1992 and 2005.

Meanwhile a report which was formulated by the Jakarta-based University of Indonesia`s economic and management study institution (LPEM-UI) in 2005 showed that PT FI made contribution of 2.37% to the Indonesian GNP, 70.39% to Papua`s gross provincial product, and 98.93% to Mimika`s gross district product.

LPEM-UI also reported that PT FI produced an average of 215,000 tons of ore with 1.14% copper concentrate, 1.67 grams/ton of gold and 4.43 grams/ton silver a day last year.

The company also produced concentrate containing 30.0% copper, 41.3 grams/ton gold and 74.0 grams/ton silver in 2005.

The concentrate from Cartenz Mountain`s feet has been sold to Bulgary, China, Finland, India, Japan, Korea, Spain, Sweden, the Philippines and an Indonesian firm in Gresik (East Java).

(ANTARA/Asia Pulse)
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