JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The refurbishment of the first two smelters that Australian company Gulf Manganese plans to use at its manganese alloys hub in Kupong, West Timor, is well under way, with shipment from South Africa to Indonesia expected to occur before the end of this year.
Gulf reported on Friday that it had made the final payment to South Africa’s Transalloys, allowing the refurbishment programme to continue.
The dismantling and refurbishment of the smelters in Pretoria will take about 12 weeks, before they will be shipped to Durban for final inspection and containerisation. The equipment is expected to arrive in Indonesia in December.
Meanwhile, in Indonesia, Gulf had put in place an experienced team, headed by its COO Paul Robinson, as it progresses towards the construction of the smelting hub facility.
Gulf is targeting commissioning of the facility in the first half of next year.
The company will produce a premium quality 78% ferromanganese alloy, using Indonesian high-grade, low impurity manganese ore.