OBI ISLAND, KOMPAS.com - Harita Nickel officially operates the PT Halmahera Jaya Production (PT HJF), a ferronickel smelter business unit located in the village of Kawasi Village, sub-district of Obi, Obi Island, South Halmahera, North Maluku, Tuesday (18/10/2022). Head of External Relations of Harita Nickel Stevi Thomas said PT HJF is targeted to produce 780,000 metric tons of ferronickel per year. PT HJF's ferronickel smelter is planned to be in full production capacity by 2023.
Stevi added, a year ago, Harita Nickel has officially operated PT Halmahera Persada Lygend (PT HPL) producing Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP), the main raw material for electric vehicle batteries. "16 months later we managed to operate PT HJF producing ferronickel," said Stevi in a press release on Tuesday (18/10/2022).
Head of Technical Support Harita Nickel Rico Windy Albert confirmed that at this time, during the first production, the plant only operated one line of eight production lines. He further said the production target of the plant's several lines would be delivered in phases. It is planned that the operation of eight production lines of PT HJF will be performed in 1st semester of 2023. Rico said the total manpower required during full operation of PT HJF is approx. 5,000 workers.
"Currently, with only one production line, PT HJF has employed 2,600 employees," said Rico. The manpower required to run the plant are from local workforces of South Halmahera in particular and generally from North Maluku. We conducted recruitment roadshow held in Labuha, South Halmahera and Laiwui village, sub-district of Obi, Obi Island. "About 65% of the hired workers are the origins of North Maluku," said Rico.
Source : money.kompas.com