JAKARTA, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) is in discussions with the government over being able to keep exporting copper concentrate until its new Manyar smelter returns to full operations, a company spokesperson said on Friday.
The company was allowed to export copper concentrate until the end of December, as its new smelter was then expected to process its mine output domestically. However, the Manyar smelter is currently shut down after a fire in October.
Repairs at the plant are ongoing and the operation ramp-up is estimated to begin around mid-year, spokesperson Katri Krisnati said.
"This will certainly have an impact on our concentrate storage capacity both at the Amamapare port and at the PTFI smelter, which will be full going forward," she told Reuters.
"We are currently discussing with the government to sell concentrate that should be refined at the PTFI smelter abroad until the smelter is fully operational at 100%," she added.
Local media reported PTFI chief executive Tony Wenas met with officials of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs on Friday.
News site Kontan reported that ministry official Elen Setiadi said they discussed plans to quickly repair the damages at the smelter.
Reporting by Fransiska Nangoy; Editing by John Mair
Source: Reuters