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ANTAM Accelerates The Optimisation Of FENI III Smelter

04/21/2009
News Releases

Jakarta, April 21th 2009 – PT ANTAM Tbk (ASX - ATM; IDX - ANTM) announces the acceleration of the optimisation of the FeNi III smelter. ANTAM will begin the optimisation of the smelter in the middle of May 2009, instead of July 2009 as previously planned. ANTAM will begin the optimisation given the expectation of improved nickel prices at the end of 2009. As such, ANTAM will take advantage of the current stable nickel prices to conduct the optimisation and expects the smelter to operate at the maximum level by the end of year.

ANTAM also accelerates the optimisation of the smelter due to indication and signs of metal leak at the furnace wall on April 18, 2009. The indication and sign of the leak occured at the weak spot of the refractory bricks. ANTAM has lowered the power load of the FeNi III smelter and expects the works can start in the middle of May 2009.

ANTAM plans to conduct the optimisation program for three to four months. ANTAM will replace the cooling system of the furnace and wishes to operate the smelter at maximum capacity following the optimisation program. The cost of the optimisation program will be borne by the contractors who have allocated approximately US$7.5 million. ANTAM’s ferronickel production target in 2009 remains unchanged at 12,000 tonnes nickel contained in ferronickel.

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