TABLE OF CONTENTS. No. Title Media Source Page

(1)

Daily News Update Page 1

"Obviously lower than 2019, it can be seen from the quarterly reports and monthly reports. The picture of the impact of the weakening commodity prices and the pandemic on the decline in performance can also be seen. It seems that the percentage won't be much different," said Sara to Kontan.co.id, Tuesday ( 12/1). In terms of type, heavy equipment sold in 2020 is generally of the small-medium type for the non-mining sector such as construction and plantation. Sara is optimistic that this year's heavy equipment sales performance will improve compared to last year.

In 2021, the sales target for UNTR's heavy equipment is at 1,700 units or 13.3% higher than last year's sales estimate. With heavy equipment that is dominated by small-medium types for construction, plantation and mining.

United Tractors (UNTR)

targetkan penjualan alat berat

tahun ini capai 1.700 unit

Reporter: Ridwan Nanda Mulyana | Editor: Noverius Laoli

P

T UNITED Tractors Tbk (UNTR) mem-bidik peningkatan penjualan alat berat di tahun ini. Setelah pada tahun lalu, penjualan alat berat UNTR merosot seiring dengan kondisi pandemi covid-19 dan pelemahan harga komoditas.

Sekretaris Perusahaan United Tractors Sara K. Loebis menyampaikan, realisasi penjualan alat berat UNTR sepanjang 2020 memang belum resmi dirilis. Namun, jumlahnya diestimasikan sekitar 1.500 unit.

"Jelas lebih rendah dari 2019, sudah terlihat dari laporan kuartalan maupun laporan bulanan. Gambaran dampak pelemahan harga komoditas dan pandemi terhadap penurunan kinerja juga bisa terlihat. Rasanya secara prosentase tidak akan banyak berbeda," terang Sara kepada Kontan.co.id, Selasa (12/1).

Dari sisi jenis, alat berat yang terjual pada 2020 umumnya bertipe small-medium untuk sektor non-mining seperti kons-truksi dan perkebunan. Sara optimistis, kinerja penjualan alat berat tahun ini akan membaik dibanding tahun lalu.

Pada 2021, target penjualan alat berat UNTR berada di angka 1.700 unit atau lebih tinggi 13,3% dari estimasi penjualan tahun lalu. Dengan jenis alat berat yang didominasi oleh tipe small-medium untuk konstruksi, perkebunan dan pertam-bangan.

(3)

Daily News Update Page 3 Sara said, this year's sales estimate has

predicted a slight increase in demand in all sectors. With a note, in general it is a replacement for obsolete machines, not in the context of a major expansion.

"Because considering the market is still waiting and see," continued Sara.

Quoting Kontan.co.id news, if the total sales of Komatsu heavy equipment by UNTR were accumulated until the end of October 2020, it would be 1,345 units. This realization is still a 50.8% contraction from sales in the same period the previous year, which reached 2,734 units.

On an annual basis, the sales performance of UNTR's heavy equipment is projected to decline by around 40% throughout 2020. As a result, with an increase in sales targets, UNTR is optimistic that this year's performance will be better.

"There is a projected increase in sales from 1,500 to 1,700 units. Compared to 2020, which fell by 40 percent compared to 2019," said Sara.

Kata Sara, estimasi penjualan tahun ini sudah memperkirakan sedikit peningkatan permintaan di seluruh sektor. Dengan catatan, pada umumnya merupakan peng-gantian alat berat yang sudah usang, bukan dalam rangka ekspansi secara besar-besaran.

"Karena mempertimbangkan pasar yang masih wait and see," sambung Sara.

Mengutip pemberitaan Kontan.co.id, jika diakumulasikan total penjualan alat berat Komatsu oleh UNTR hingga akhir Oktober 2020 berada di angka 1.345 unit. Realisasi ini memang masih kontraksi 50,8% dari penjualan di periode yang sama tahun sebelumnya, yang mencapai 2.734 unit. Secara tahunan, kinerja penjualan alat berat UNTR diproyeksikan turun sekitar 40% sepanjang 2020. Alhasil, dengan peningkatan target penjualan, UNTR optimistis kinerja tahun ini akan lebih baik. "Ada proyeksi peningkatan penjualan dari 1.500 ke 1.700-an unit. Dibanding tahun 2020 yang mengalami turun 40%-an dibanding 2019," pungkas Sara.

Coal Exports in 2021 are

Targeted to Soar to 412.5

Million Tons

Anisatul Umah, CNBC Indonesia

THE GOVERNMENT

is targeting coal

exports this year to reach at least 412.5 million tons, up 35% from the export achievement in 2020 which was recorded at only 305.77 million tons.

Ekspor Batu Bara 2021

Ditargetkan Melonjak ke 412,5

Juta Ton

Anisatul Umah, CNBC Indonesia

PEMERINTAH

menargetkan ekspor batu

bara pada tahun ini setidaknya bisa men-capai 412,5 juta ton, melonjak 35% dari capaian ekspor pada 2020 yang tercatat hanya sebesar 305,77 juta ton.

(4)

Daily News Update Page 4 Director of Coal Development and Business

of the Directorate General of Mineral and Coal, Ministry of ESDM, Sujatmiko said that the volume of coal sales abroad in 2021 is based on a coal production target of 550 million tons and also sales of coal for domestic needs (domestic market obligation/DMO) of 137.5 million tons. According to him, coal exports will be carried out after meeting domestic needs. Another consideration is the development of coal prices and demand.

"Coal exports are carried out after domestic coal needs are met. In addition, they also consider developments in coal prices and global coal demand," he told CNBC Indonesia, Tuesday (12/01/2021). As is known, based on data from the Minerba One Data Indonesia (MODI) Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources quoted by CNBC Indonesia Tuesday (12/01/2021), coal exports during 2020 were recorded at only 305.77 million tons or around 77 million tons. 41% of the target set in early 2020 of 395 million tonnes.

Executive Director of the Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI) Hendra Sinadia projects that coal sales abroad this year can reach the target or have the potential to be much higher than the 2020 achievement.

"It looks like (achieve the target), right in 2021 the demand outlook will be better than 2020," he said when asked whether Indonesia's coal exports in 2021 would reach the target.

According to him, China is still one of the largest importing countries of Indonesian coal. Hendra said that coal exports to China would depend on the import quota of the local government.

Direktur Pembinaan dan Pengusahaan Batu Bara Direktorat Jenderal Mineral dan Batu Bara Kementerian ESDM Sujatmiko mengatakan volume penjualan batu bara ke luar negeri pada 2021 ini didasarkan pada target produksi batu bara sebesar 550 juta ton dan juga penjualan batu bara untuk kebutuhan dalam negeri (domestic market obligation/DMO) sebesar 137,5 juta ton. Menurutnya, ekspor batu bara akan dilaku-kan setelah terpenuhinya kebutuhan dalam negeri. Pertimbangan lainnya adalah per-kembangan harga batu bara dan permintaan. "Ekspor batu bara dilakukan setelah kebutuhan batu bara dalam negeri terpenuhi. Selain itu, juga mempertimbangkan perkem-bangan harga batu bara dan permintaan batu bara global," ungkapnya kepada CNBC Indonesia, Selasa (12/01/2021).

Seperti diketahui, berdasarkan data dari Minerba One Data Indonesia (MODI) Kementerian Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral yang dikutip CNBC Indonesia Selasa, (12/01/2021), ekspor batu bara selama 2020 tercatat hanya sebesar 305,77 juta ton atau sekitar 77,41% dari target yang ditetapkan pada awal 2020 sebesar 395 juta ton.

Direktur Eksekutif Asosiasi Pertambangan Batubara Indonesia (APBI) Hendra Sinadia memproyeksikan penjualan batu bara ke luar negeri pada tahun ini bisa mencapai target atau berpotensi jauh lebih tinggi dari capaian 2020 lalu.

"Sepertinya begitu (capai target), kan di 2021 outlook demand akan lebih baik dibanding 2020," ungkapnya saat ditanya apakah ekspor batu bara RI pada 2021 ini akan mencapai target.

Menurutnya, China masih menjadi salah satu negara importir terbesar batu bara RI. Hendra menyebut ekspor batu bara ke China akan sangat tergantung dari kuota impor pemerintah setempat.

(5)

Daily News Update Page 5 "As for the export cooperation to China, of

course it really depends on the coal import quota policy by the local government," he explained.

Previously, Hendra said that in the last five years, Indonesia's coal exports to China had doubled to 130 million tons in 2019 from 75 million tons in 2015.

According to him, the average increase in coal exports to China is around 13.3% per year.

"The average increase in exports every year is around 13.3%, this is extra-ordinary," he told CNBC Indonesia, Thursday (26/11/2020).

By looking at this trend and the signing of the agreement to buy coal from companies in China, he is optimistic that this year Indonesia's coal exports to China can reach 200 million tons.

"We are indeed too optimistic, but we hope that there can be an increase from 130 million tons of exports to China in 2019, hopefully 2021 it can reach 200 million tons," he said during an interview with CNBC Indonesia, Thursday (26/11/2020). (wia)

"Adapun kerja sama ekspor ke China itu tentu sangat tergantung dengan kebijakan kuota impor batu bara oleh pemerintah setempat," jelasnya.

Sebelumnya, Hendra mengatakan dalam lima tahun terakhir ekspor batu bara Indonesia ke China melonjak dua kali lipat menjadi 130 juta ton pada 2019 dari 75 juta ton pada 2015 lalu.

Menurutnya, rata-rata kenaikan ekspor batu bara ke China ini mencapai sekitar 13,3% per tahun.

"Rata-rata kenaikan ekspornya setiap tahun sekitar 13,3%, ini luar biasa sekali," ungkap-nya kepada CNBC Indonesia, Kamis (26/11/ 2020).

Dengan melihat tren tersebut dan usai ditandatanganinya kesepakatan pembelian batu bara dari perusahaan di China, maka pihaknya optimis tahun ini ekspor batu bara Indonesia ke China bisa mencapai 200 juta ton.

"Kita memang terlalu optimis, tapi kita berharap bisa ada kenaikan dari 130 juta ton ekspor ke China pada 2019, mudah-mudahan 2021 bisa mencapai 200 juta ton," ungkapnya saat wawancara dengan CNBC Indonesia, Kamis (26/11/2020). (wia)

Indonesia's Nickel Cobalt

Output Capacity Plan

Lukas Hendra TM

THE DISCUSSION

of Indonesian nickel

and cobalt as raw material for electric car batteries surfaced. To the point, US manufacturers like Tesla are eyeing the Indonesian nickel market.

Rencana Kapasitas Output Nikel

Kobalt Indonesia

Lukas Hendra TM

PERBINCANGAN

nikel dan kobalt

Indonesia untuk jadi bahan baku baterai mobil listrik mengemuka. Sampai-sampai, pabrikan AS sekelas Tesla melirik pasar nikel Indonesia.

(6)

Daily News Update Page 6 However, how much is the planned output

capacity of Indonesian nickel that can be processed into cobalt equivalent?

Based on data from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), the Rare Earth Metal Booklet shows that Indonesia has proven reserves of limonite nickel ore totaling 359 million tons.

The publication, which was published in September 2020, also revealed that rare earth metal products and scandium were obtained from the by-products of nickel-cobalt HPAL (high pressure acid leaching). Still based on this publication, it also shows that Indonesia is currently in the stage of establishing a hydrometallurgical process of laterite nickel ore processing and refining plant with a total input capacity of 29.2 million tons per year.

The company will process the laterite nickel ore hydrometallurgically and will produce nickel and cobalt as well as an amount of scandium that can be extracted. Who are these companies? First, there is PT Huayue Bahodopi which is located at IMP Industrial Park Morowali, Central Sulawesi. The company has a nickel ore input capacity of 11 million tons of ore per year.

From this facility, it is estimated that it can produce around 60,000 tons of nickel equivalent per year, 7,800 tons of cobalt equivalent per year and 440 tons of scandium equivalent per year (assuming the scandium content in the ore is 50 ppm recovery 80%.

Second, QMB Bahodopi, which is also located at IMP Industrial Park Morowali, Central Sulawesi. The company has processing facilities with an input capacity of 5 million tonnes of ore per year.

Namun, berapa kira-kira rencana kapasitas output produksi nikel Indonesia yang bisa diolah menjadi setara kobalt ya?

Berdasarkan data Kementerian Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral (ESDM), pada Booklet Logam Tanah Jarang, menunjukkan Indonesia memiliki cadangan terbukti bijih nikel limonit sebanyak 359 juta ton.

Publikasi yang diterbitkan pada September 2020 tersebut juga mengungkapkan bahwa produk logam tanah jarang dan scandium didapatkan dari produk samping olahan HPAL (high pressure acid leaching) nikel-kobalt.

Masih berdasarkan publikasi itu, juga menunjukkan bahwa Indonesia saat ini tengah dalam tahap pendirian pabrik pengolahan dan pemurnian bijih nikel laterit proses hidrometalurgi dengan kapasitas input total sebanyak 29,2 juta ton per tahun.

Perusahaan tersebut akan mengolah bijih nikel laterit secara hidrometalurgi dan akan menghasilkan nikel dan kobalt serta sejumlah scandium yang dapat diekstrak. Siapa saja perusahaan itu? Pertama, ada PT Huayue Bahodopi yang berlokasi di IMP Industrial Park Morowali, Sulawesi Tengah. Perusahaan ini memiliki kapasitas input bijih nikel sebanyak 11 juta ton bijih per tahun.

Dari fasilitas tersebut, diperkirakan mampu menghasilkan sekitar 60.000 ton setara nikel per tahun, 7.800 ton setara kobalt per tahun dan 440 ton setara scandium per tahun (dengan asumsi kadar scandium dalam bijih 50 ppm recovery 80%.

Kedua, QMB Bahodopi yang juga berlokasi di IMP Industrial Park Morowali, Sulawesi Tengah. Perusahaan ini memiliki fasilitas pengolahan dengan kapasitas input 5 juta ton bijih per tahun.

(7)

Daily News Update Page 7 The facility is estimated to produce 50,000

tonnes of nickel equivalent per year, 4,000 equivalent to cobalt per year and 200 equivalent to scandium.

Third, PT Halmahera Persada Lygen, located in South Halmahera, North Maluku. The company has facilities with an input capacity of 5.2 million tonnes of ore per year.

From the facility, it is projected to produce 55,000 tonnes of nickel equivalent per year, 6,500 tonnes of cobalt equivalent per year and 332 tonnes of scandium.

Fourth, PT Smelter Nickel Indonesia which is located in Banten. The company has an input capacity of 2.4 million tonnes of ore per year. The facility is projected to produce 30,400 tonnes of ore per year, 3,060 tonnes of cobalt equivalent per year (assuming 4% cobalt equivalent) and 96 tonnes of scandium equivalent per year. Fifth, PT Andhikara Cipta Mulia, located in North Konawe, Southeast Sulawesi. This facility has an input capacity of 2.4 million tonnes of ore per year. Of that amount, it is estimated that they will be able to produce 30,400 tons of nickel equivalent per year, 3,060 tons of cobalt equivalent per year and 96 tons of scandium equivalent per year.

Sixth, PT Vale Indonesia. This facility is estimated to be able to absorb 3.2 million tons of ore per year. From the facility, it is projected to be able to produce 40,000 tonnes of nickel equivalent per year, 6,000 tonnes of cobalt equivalent per year and 160 tonnes of scandium equivalent per year.

LTJ Mineral Potential (Nickel Laterite) Companies that will process nickel laterite ore hydrometallurgically and will produce nickel and cobalt as well as the predicted amount of scandium (Sc) that can be extracted.

Dari fasilitas itu diperkirakan akan meng-hasilkan 50.000 ton setara nikel per tahun, 4.000 setara kobalt per tahun dan 200 setara scandium.

Ketiga, PT Halmahera Persada Lygen yang berlokasi di Halmahera Selatan, Maluku Utara. Perusahaan ini memiliki fasilitas dengan kapasitas input sebesar 5,2 juta ton bijih per tahun.

Dari fasilitas itu, diproyeksikan akan menghasilkan 55.000 ton setara nikel per tahun,, 6.500 ton setara kobalt per tahun dan 332 ton scandium.

Keempat, PT Smelter Nikel Indonesia yang berlokasi di Banten. Perusahaan ini memiliki kapasitas input sebesar 2,4 juta ton bijih per tahun. Fasilitas ini di-proyeksikan akan menghasilkan 30.400 ton bijih per tahun, 3.060 ton setara kobalt per tahun (dengan asumsi kadar kobalt sebesar 4%), serta 96 ton setara scandium per tahun.

Kelima, PT Andhikara Cipta Mulia yang berlokasi di Konawe Utara, Sulawesi Tenggara. Fasilitas ini memiliki kapasitas input sebesar 2,4 juta ton bijih per tahun. Dari jumlah itu, diperkirakan mampu menghasilkan 30.400 ton setara nikel per tahun, 3.060 setara kobalt per tahun dan 96 ton setara scandium per tahun.

Keenam, PT Vale Indonesia. Fasilitas ini diperkirakan mampu menyerap 3,2 juta ton bijih per tahun. Dari fasilitas itu, di-proyeksikan mampu menghasilkan 40.000 ton setara nikel per tahun, 6.000 setara kobalt per tahun dan 160 ton setara scandium per tahun.

Potensi Mineral LTJ (Nikel laterit)

Perusahaan yang akan mengolah bijih nikel laterit secara hidrometalurgi dan akan menghasilkan nikel dan kobalt serta ramalan jumlah scandium (Sc) yang dapat di ekstrak.

(8)

Daily News Update Page 8 No Company Location Input Capacity (million ton ore/year)

Output Capacity (ton/year) Ni Equivalent (ton) Co Equivalent (ton) Sc2O3 Equivalent (ton**)

1 PT Huayue Bahodopi (IMP

Industrial Park, Morowali) Morowali 11 60.000 7.800 440 2 QMB Bahodopi (IMP

Industrial Park, Morowali) Morowali 5 50.000 4.000 200 3 PT Halmahera Persada

Lygen Halmahera South 5,2 55.000 6.500 332 4 PT Smelter Nikel Indonesia Banten 2,4 30.400 3.060*) 96 5 PT Andhikara Cipta Mulia North

Konawe 2,4 30.400 3.060*) 96 6 PT Vale Indonesia 3,2 40.000 6.000 160

Total 29,2 265.800 29.420 1.342

*) Assumption of 4% cobalt content in MHP

**) Assumption of SC content in ore 50 ppm recovery 80% DBM source

This is the Kobexindo Tractors

(KOBX) Strategy to Optimize

Heavy Equipment Sales

Reporter: Dimas Andi | Editor: Handoyo

IT IS

believed that the improvement in the prices of a number of commodities in the mining and plantation sectors will bring blessings to heavy equipment business players, including PT Kobexindo Tractors Tbk (KOBX).

President Director of KOBX Andry Budiman Limawan assessed that the trend of rising coal prices is still volatile. This means that prices can change at any time without being able to predict with certainty. Even so, KOBX remains optimistic and seeks to maximize the existing opportunities.

"Of course, with current commodity prices, we are targeting Kobexindo's performance this year to be better than 2020," he said, Tuesday (12/1).

Begini strategi Kobexindo

Tractors (KOBX) optimalkan

penjualan alat berat

Reporter: Dimas Andi | Editor: Handoyo

MEMBAIKNYA

harga sejumlah komoditas

di sektor tambang dan perkebunan di-yakini membawa berkah bagi para pelaku usaha alat berat, tak terkecuali PT Kobexindo Tractors Tbk (KOBX).

Presiden Direktur KOBX Andry Budiman Limawan menilai, tren kenaikan harga batu bara yang terjadi masih bersifat volatil. Artinya, harga bisa berubah sewaktu-waktu tanpa bisa diprediksi secara pasti. Meski begitu, KOBX tetap optimistis dan berupaya memaksimalkan peluang yang ada.

“Tentu saja dengan harga komoditas saat ini, kami menargetkan kinerja Kobexindo tahun ini lebih baik ketimbang tahun 2020,” ujar dia, Selasa (12/1).

(9)

Daily News Update Page 9 Even so, he has not been able to convey the

sales target of KOBX heavy equipment because it is still under internal discussion. The issuer also has not been able to disclose the realization of heavy equipment sales over the past year. What is clear, the Covid-19 pandemic also affected KOBX sales last year.

Andry explained, to boost sales of heavy equipment amid rising commodity prices, KOBX continues to maximize sales and aftersales services spread across 12 branch offices in strategic cities with the support of one head office and one product service center.

In addition, KOBX also has superior heavy equipment products to support the mining segment. These include the Doosan DX520, DX225 excavators and the NHL TEREX dump truck.

Not only that, KOBX also has quality product lines for the non-mining segment, such as Doosan diesel forklifts, Jungheinrich electric forklifts, Hako sweeper machines, Powerboss Armadillo, racking, and heavy trucks on the Foton-Daimler highway.

Basically, KOBX will continue to strengthen the diversification of non-mining heavy equipment products, including repair services and heavy equipment spare parts. "We believe that an ideal revenue composition between mining and non-mining can provide a stable performance for Kobexindo in the future," said Andry.

Kendati begitu, ia belum bisa menyampai-kan target penjualan alat berat KOBX lantaran masih dalam pembahasan internal. Emiten tersebut juga belum bisa membeberkan realisasi penjualan alat berat sepanjang tahun lalu. Yang jelas, pandemi Covid-19 turut mempengaruhi penjualan KOBX di tahun kemarin.

Andry menjelaskan, untuk menggenjot penjualan alat berat di tengah kenaikan harga komoditas, KOBX terus memak-simalkan layanan penjualan dan aftersales yang tersebar di 12 kantor cabang di kota-kota strategis dengan dukungan satu kantor pusat dan satu kantor pusat layanan produk.

Selain itu, KOBX juga memiliki produk-produk alat berat unggulan untuk menunjang segmen tambang. Di antaranya eskavator Doosan DX520, DX225, dan dump truck NHL TEREX.

Tak hanya itu, KOBX juga memiliki lini produk berkualitas untuk segmen non tambang, seperti forklift diesel Doosan, forklift listrik Jungheinrich, sweeper machine Hako, Powerboss Armadillo, racking, hingga truk berat jalan raya Foton-Daimler.

Pada dasarnya, KOBX akan terus mem-perkuat diversifikasi produk alat berat non tambang, termasuk jasa perbaikan dan suku cadang alat berat.

“Kami percaya dengan komposisi pen-dapatan yang ideal antara tambang dan non tambang dapat memberikan kestabilan kinerja bagi Kobexindo di masa mendatang,” ungkap Andry.

(10)

Tekmira Develops a Coal-Based

Battery Anode

Rangga Prakoso

([email protected])

R

ESEARCH and Development Center for Mineral and Coal Technology (Tekmira), Research and Development Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources initiated research on battery anodes from coal by converting coal into high-value pitch raw materials.

The research, which was carried out by the Research and Development Group (KP3) of Coal Processing and Utilization Techno-logy, aims to support the downstream program of coal into high value synthetic graphite raw materials. Activities focused on making carbon precursors from the residue of coal tar distillation as energy storage materials.

KP3 Coordinator for Coal Processing and Utilization Technology, Slamet Handoko, explained that graphite is the main raw material for battery anodes which are commonly used in electronic equipment batteries such as cell phone, laptop and electric vehicle batteries. This material is high performance and has a fast fill capacity and a long life.

Currently, about 83% of the world's natural graphite supply comes from China and Brazil. However, not all natural graphite can be used as a battery anode, due to the purity and quality of the crystal size. Synthetic graphite has a homogeneous purity and crystal size.

Unfortunately, the conventional manu-facturing process for synthetic graphite from petroleum is still expensive, reaching 10 times the cost of processing natural graphite. Although the price of...

Tekmira Kembangkan Anoda

Baterai Berbahan Dasar Batubara

Rangga Prakoso

([email protected])

PUSAT

Penelitian dan Pengembangan

Teknologi Mineral dan Batubara (Tekmira) Badan Litbang Kementerian ESDM meng-inisiasi penelitian anoda baterai dari bahan batu bara dengan mengkonversi batu bara menjadi bahan baku pitch bernilai tinggi. Penelitian yang dilaksanakan Kelompok Penelitian dan Pengembangan (KP3) Teknologi Pengolahan dan Pemanfaatan Batubara ini bertujuan mendukung program hilirisasi batu bara menjadi bahan baku grafit sintetik yang bernilai tinggi. Kegiatan difokuskan pada pembuatan prekursor karbon dari residu distilasi ter batu bara sebagai material penyimpanan energi. Koordinator KP3 Teknologi Pengolahan dan Pemanfaatan Batubara, Slamet Handoko menjelaskan grafit merupakan bahan baku utama anoda baterai yang umum digunakan pada baterai peralatan elektronik seperti baterai telepon genggam, laptop dan kendaraan listrik. Material ini berkinerja tinggi dan memiliki kapasitas pengisian cepat dan umur yang panjang.

Saat ini, sekitar 83% pasokan grafit alam dunia berasal dari Tiongkok dan Brasil. Namun tidak semua grafit alam dapat digunakan sebagai anoda baterai, karena alasan kemurnian dan kualitas ukuran kristalnya. Grafit sintetik memiliki kemurnian dan ukuran kristal yang homogen.

Sayangnya biaya proses pembuatan grafit sintetik secara konvensional dari minyak bumi masih mahal, mencapai 10 kali biaya pengolahan grafit alam. Walaupun harga...

(11)

Daily News Update Page 11 Although the price of synthetic graphite

has skyrocketed, the proportion of synthetic graphite used as battery anode has not decreased. To reduce production costs, usually synthetic graphite is mixed with processed natural graphite (spherical graphite).

"As of 2014, the proportion of synthetic graphite has reached 33-40% and is predicted to continue to increase along with the increasing demand for electric car batteries," Slamet said in his statement in Jakarta, Tuesday (12/1).

Based on data published by electric car manufacturer Tesla, the demand for natural graphite is estimated to increase annually by 154%. This places graphite as the most sought after mineral in the future. Therefore, synthetic graphite research needs to be done to anticipate the boom in demand, especially since Indonesia does not have an economical natural graphite mine.

Low calorie coal in Indonesia is very abundant and has a large enough potential to be used as a carbon precursor in the manufacture of battery anodes. In general, coal produces hydrocarbons when burned with oxygen and produces heat. However, if coal is heated in the absence of oxygen, hydrocarbons will be obtained in the form of coal tar which can be further processed into pitch. The process of making coal tar is known as pyrolysis, while the processing of tar into pitch is usually through distillation. Both of these processes have been researched and mastered by researchers at the Research and Development Center for Tekmira.

However, not all parts of the pitch can be made into synthetic graphite, so it is necessary to process modification and extraction using a solvent. Only about 30-40% of...

Walaupun harga grafit sintetik melangit, proporsi pemakaian grafit sintetik sebagai anoda baterai tidak berkurang. Untuk menekan biaya produksi, biasanya grafit sintetik dicampur dengan grafit alam olahan (spherical graphite).

"Per tahun 2014 proporsi grafit sintetik mencapai 33-40% dan diprediksi terus meningkat seiring dengan peningkatan kebutuhan baterai mobil listrik," kata Slamet dalam keterangannya di Jakarta, Selasa (12/1).

Berdasarkan data yang dipublikasi oleh produsen mobil listrik Tesla, permintaan grafit alam diperkirakan meningkat setiap tahunnya sebesar 154%. Ini menempatkan grafit sebagai bahan galian paling diburu ke depannya. Oleh karena itu penelitian grafit sintetik perlu dilakukan untuk mengantisipasi ledakan permintaan, apalagi Indonesia tidak memiliki tambang grafit alam yang ekonomis.

Batu bara kalori rendah di Indonesia sangat berlimpah dan potensinya cukup besar untuk dimanfaatkan sebagai prekursor karbon dalam pembuatan anoda baterai. Pada umumnya, batu bara meng-hasilkan senyawa hidrokarbon ketika dibakar dengan oksigen dan menghasilkan panas. Namun jika batu bara dipanaskan pada kondisi tanpa oksigen, akan di-dapatkan hidrokarbon dalam bentuk ter batu bara yang dapat diolah lebih lanjut menjadi pitch. Proses pembuatan ter batu bara ini dikenal sebagai pirolisis, semen-tara proses pengolahan ter menjadi pitch biasanya melalui distilasi. Kedua proses ini telah diteliti dan dikuasai oleh para peneliti Puslitbang Tekmira.

Walaupun demikian tidak semua bagian dari pitch tersebut dapat dijadikan grafit sintetik sehingga perlu proses modifikasi dan ekstraksi menggunakan pelarut. Hanya sekitar 30-40% dari...

(12)

Daily News Update Page 12 Only about 30-40% of the pitch can be

extracted and can then be used as a carbon precursor for synthetic graphite manufacture. The extracted product is often referred to as mesophase pitch, because it contains 100% carbon, which can be converted into graphite.

Head of the Research Team, Phiciato explained that the conventional synthetic graphite manufacturing process, whether using petroleum or coal, must go through a process at an extreme temperature of around 2,000-3,000 degrees Celsius. This condition is difficult to apply economically on an industrial scale. With the help of a catalyst, the process temperature can be lowered to close to 1,000 degrees Celsius. Observations with X-Ray Diffraction show that synthetic graphite can be formed at a temperature of 1,200 degrees Celsius with the help of a catalyst based on Fe (Ferrum). "The key to success is influenced by two aspects, namely the effectiveness of making mesophase and choosing the type of catalyst. Currently the research team is still focusing on making mesophase and in the future will develop suitable and economical catalysts," said Phiciato.

The Young Researcher of the Research and Development Center for Tekmira explained that in principle synthetic graphite can be synthesized from all types of carbon materials such as biomass, soot, charcoal and industrial waste, provided it has a suitable catalyst medium and guarantees the availability of supplies. When compared to biomass, the fixed-carbon content of coal is 2-3 times the biomass on average. This underlies the selection of coal and its derivatives as an economical carbon precursor. The higher the carbon content will certainly have an impact on the better the economics of the graphitization process. Editor: Komang

Hanya sekitar 30-40% dari pitch yang dapat diekstrak dan kemudian dapat di-jadikan prekursor karbon untuk pembuatan grafit sintetik. Produk hasil ekstraksi sering juga disebut sebagai mesophase pitch, karena mengandung 100% karbon, yang dapat dikonversi menjadi grafit.

Ketua Tim Penelitian, Phiciato memaparkan proses pembuatan grafit sintetik secara konvensional, baik yang menggunakan minyak bumi atau batu bara, harus melalui proses pada suhu ekstrim sekitar 2.000 - 3.000 derajat Celcius. Kondisi ini sulit diterapkan secara ekonomis pada skala industri. Dengan bantuan katalis, suhu proses dapat diturunkan hingga mendekati 1.000 derajat Celcius. Hasil pengamatan dengan X-Ray Diffraction menunjukkan grafit sintetik dapat terbentuk pada suhu 1.200 derajat Celcius dengan bantuan katalis berbasis Fe (Ferrum).

"Kunci keberhasilan dipengaruhi dua aspek yaitu efektivitas pembuatan mesophase dan pemilihan jenis katalis. Saat ini tim peneliti masih berfokus pada pembuatan mesophase dan ke depan akan mengem-bangkan katalis yang cocok dan ekonomis," ujar Phiciato.

Peneliti Muda Puslitbang Tekmira ini menguraikan, pada prinsipnya grafit sintetik dapat disintesa dari segala jenis material karbon seperti biomassa, jelaga, arang dan limbah industri, asalkan memiliki media katalis yang cocok dan jaminan ketersedian pasokan. Jika dibandingkan dengan biomassa, kandungan karbon tetap (fixed-carbon) pada batu bara rata-rata 2-3 kali biomassa. Hal ini yang mendasari pemilihan batu bara dan turunannya sebagai prekursor karbon yang ekonomis. Semakin tinggi kandungan karbon tentu berdampak pada semakin baiknya ke-ekonomian proses grafitisasi. Editor : Komang ([email protected])

(13)

Improve Governance, the

Government Must Arrange a Tin

Balance

Rio Indrawan

SO FAR

, tin mineral reserves seem to be controlled and monopolized by a State-Owned Enterprise (BUMN), namely PT Timah Tbk (TINS). Even though he had a monopoly, Timah still lost money. For this reason, the government is urged to improve tin management in the country so that it can be optimized not only by PT Timah.

Arif Zardi Dahlius, Secretary General of the Indonesian Mineral Reserves Committee, said that Indonesia is the largest tin exporter in the world. It's just that even though Indonesia is predicated as the largest producer and exporter in the world, Indonesia does not yet have official data on the amount of national reserves and production.

So far, only PT Timah has measurable data related to reserves, production and export potential. In fact, not a few private tin companies as well as illegal miners produce this tin. "The government already needs to make a national tin balance. The government must have accurate data on how much production and reserves so far. This is necessary in order to map tin trade governance in the future,” said Arif in a virtual discussion, Monday (11/1). Faisal Basri, an economic observer from the University of Indonesia, said that so far the tin commodity seems to have been neglected because it is underestimated by the government. In fact, Indonesia could play a role as price controller because Indonesia is a producer and has the largest tin reserves in the world.

Perbaiki Tata Kelola,

Pemerintah Harus Susun Neraca

Timah

Rio Indrawan

CADANGAN

mineral timah selama ini

ter-kesan dikuasai dan dimonopoli satu per-usahaan Badan Usaha Milik Negara (BUMN), yakni PT Timah Tbk (TINS). Meskipun memonopoli, Timah tetap saja merugi. Untuk itu pemerintah didesak untuk memperbaiki tata kelola timah di tanah air agar bisa dioptimalkan tidak hanya oleh PT Timah. Arif Zardi Dahlius, Sekretaris Jenderal Komite Cadangan Mineral Indonesia, mengatakan Indonesia merupakan eksportir timah ter-besar di dunia. Hanya saja meski berpredikat produsen dan eksportir terbesar di dunia, Indonesia belum mempunyai data resmi jumlah cadangan dan produksi nasional. Selama ini yang mempunyai data terukur terkait cadangan, produksi dan potensi ekspor timah hanyalah PT Timah. Padahal, tidak sedikit perusahaan timah swasta dan juga penambang ilegal yang memproduksi timah tersebut.

“Pemerintah sudah perlu untuk membuat neraca timah nasional. Pemerintah harus mempunyai data akurat seberapa besar produksi dan cadangan selama ini. Hal ini diperlukan untuk bisa memetakan tata kelola niaga timah kedepan,” kata Arif dalam diskusi virtual, Senin (11/1).

Faisal Basri, pengamat ekonomi dari Universitas Indonesia menilai, selama ini komoditas timah terkesan tidak diurus karena dipandang sebelah mata oleh pemerintah. Padahal, Indonesia bisa saja berperan sebagai pengendali harga karena Indonesia merupakan produsen dan mem-punyai cadangan timah terbesar di dunia.

(14)

Daily News Update Page 14 “As if this tin doesn't get adequate

attention from the government. Bauxite, nickel are all banned. Copper is also prohibited. all must be processed first. So why does tin continue to export ore?" said Faisal.

The government must begin to focus on the tin commodity because until now there are no residential factories and end user factories for this tin product in Indonesia. "We lost the opportunity to process this limited tin, it should not be wasted. We have to do value creation," said Faisal. Teddy Marbinanda, a national tin practitioner, said that the half-hearted management and incomplete data reserves made tin development not optimal. So far, there are not a few illegal tin miners in Indonesia. So far, tin IUP holders do not have complete data on how proven tin reserves are to this day.

"Practicing in the field, if I say yes related to backup data, then the implementation and exploration activities. Mining business that should have data. In tin, historically the reserve data are like mining companies, only PT Timah and upstream PT Kobatin,” said Teddy. (RI)

“Timah ini seolah-olah enggak dapat perhatian yang memadai dari pemerintah. Bauksit, nikel kan semua sudah dilarang. Tembaga juga dilarang. semua harus diolah dulu. Nah kenapa timah kok ekspor bijih terus?” ungkap Faisal.

Pemerintah harus mulai fokus pada komo-ditas timah lantaran hingga kini pabrik permunian dan pabrik end user dari produk timah ini belum ada di Indonesia.

“Kita kehilangan kesempatan untuk meng-olah timah yang terbatas ini, harusnya tidak disia-siakan, Kita harus melakukan value creation,” kata Faisal.

Teddy Marbinanda, praktisi timah nasional, mengatakan tata kelola yang setengah hati serta tidak lengkapnya data cadangan mem-buat pengembangan timah menjadi tidak optimal. Selama ini tidak sedikit penambang illegal timah yang ada di Indonesia. Para pemegang IUP timah selama ini tidak mempunyai data utuh bagimana cadangan terbukti timah sampai hari ini.

“Praktik di lapangan, kalau saya bilang ya terkait data cadagan lalu pelaksanaan dan kegiatan eksplorasi. Bisnis pertambangan yang seyogyanya punya data. Dalam timah, dalam sejarahnya data cadangan selayaknya perusahaan pertambangan, hanya PT Timah dan hulunya adalah PT Kobatin,” kata Teddy. (RI)

Copper Prices Fall After

Touching 8-Year Highs, What

Are the Prospects?

Lorenzo Anugrah Mahardhika

C

OPPER prices are experiencing correction after briefly reaching their highest level since 2013. However,...

Harga Tembaga Jatuh Setelah

Sentuh Level Tertinggi 8 Tahun,

Bagaimana Prospeknya?

Lorenzo Anugrah Mahardhika

HARGA

tembaga mengalami koreksi

setelah sempat mencapai level tertingginya sejak 2013. Meski demikian,

(15)

Daily News Update Page 15 However, copper is projected to rebound

in line with the prospect of rising demand for this commodity on the global market. Based on Bloomberg data on Tuesday (12/1/2021), the price of copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) was monitored at the level of US$ 7,684 per ton, or was still corrected by 3.28 percent. Meanwhile, copper prices previously recorded a decline of 3.9 percent or the largest since March 23, 2020.

Last week, the price of copper touched its highest price level since 2013 and broke through the level of US$ 8,000 per ton. One of the causes of this decline was in line with the rebound in the US dollar index. For your information, a stronger US dollar tends to weaken the price of metal commodities, including copper, because the price is more expensive for buyers denominated in currencies other than the US dollar.

The weakening of copper was also caused by a spike in coronavirus cases that reoccurred in China. The Chinese government reported 85 cases of localized infection on January 10.

Head of Commodities Strategy at Saxo Bank A/S said the emergence of a new corona virus case in China triggered risk-off sentiment regarding the prospect of imposing restrictions on the spread of the new virus in China.

"The market was also worried because of the rally that took place in the strengthening of the US dollar index," he said as quoted by Bloomberg.

However, the current correction trend is considered only temporary. Commerzbank AG analyst Daniel Briesemann, the decline in prices is fairly reasonable and only lasted for a moment.

Meski demikian, tembaga diproyeksikan kembali menguat seiring dengan prospek kenaikan permintaan komoditas ini di pasar global.

Berdasarkan data Bloomberg pada Selasa (12/1/2021), harga tembaga di London Metal Exchange (LME) terpantau di level US$7.684 per ton atau masih terkoreksi 3,28 persen. Adapun sebelumnya harga tembaga mencatatkan penurunan 3,9 persen atau terbesar sejak 23 Maret 2020 lalu.

Pada pekan lalu, harga tembaga sempat menyentuh level harga tertingginya sejak 2013 lalu dan menembus level US$8.000 per ton. Adapun salah satu penyebab pelemahan tersebut seiring dengan rebound indeks dolar AS.

Untuk diketahui, dolar AS yang lebih kuat cenderung akan membuat harga komo-ditas logam, termasuk tembaga, melemah karena harga menjadi lebih mahal bagi pembeli dengan denominasi mata uang selain dolar AS.

Pelemahan tembaga juga disebabkan oleh lonjakan kasus virus coronayang kembali terjadi di China. Pemerintah China melaporkan 85 kasus infeksi lokal pada 10 Januari lalu.

Head of Commodities Strategy di Saxo Bank A/S mengatakan, munculnya kasus virus corona baru di China memicu sentimen risk-off terkait prospek pem-berlakuan pembatasan penyebaran virus yang baru di Negeri Panda tersebut.

“Pasar juga sempat khawatir karena reli penguatan indeks dolar AS yang terjadi,” katanya dikutip dari Bloomberg.

Meski demikian, tren koreksi yang terjadi dinilai hanya bersifat sementara. Analis Commerzbank AG Daniel Briesemann, penurunan harga tersebut terbilang wajar dan hanya berlangsung sesaat.

(16)

Daily News Update Page 16 “The copper trend will still be positive

going forward. This can be seen from US government data which shows the high position of this commodity by speculative investors," he explained.

Meanwhile, the US dolas index was observed to be stagnant on Tuesday after rebounding from its lowest level in three years. This has an impact on increasing the ability of consumers to use other currencies.

The positive prospects for copper are, in part, supported by the transition of power in the United States. US President-Elect, Joe Biden, on Thursday this week will release a trillion dollar stimulus proposal that supports market players' optimism for copper demand.

This was also supported by a statement from the US central bank, The Fed, regarding the prospects for wor ld economic recovery. The Fed said additional fiscal support and mass distribution of the corona virus vaccine was considered to have a positive effect on economic recovery in semester II / 2021.

Research from Huatai Futures said market players were expecting more fiscal stimulus packages after Biden and two members of the US Senate from the Democratic Party were officially sworn in. The emergence of the latest stimulus package is considered to trigger an increase in copper consumption. Source: Bloomberg, Editor: Hafiyyan

“Tren tembaga masih akan positif kedepannya. Hal ini terlihat dari data pemerintah AS yang menunjukkan posisi komoditas ini yang tinggi oleh investor spekulatif,” jelasnya.

Sementara itu, indeks dolas AS pada hari Selasa terpantau stagnan setelah rebound dari level terendahnya dalam tiga tahun terakhir. Hal tersebut berimbas pada kenaikan kemampuan konsumen dalam menggunakan mata uang lain.

Prospek positif tembaga salah satunya ditopang oleh transisi kekuatan di Amerika Serikat. Presiden Terpilih AS, Joe Biden, pada Kamis pekan ini akan merilis proposal stimulus triliunan dolar AS yang mendukung optimisme pelaku pasar ter-hadap permintaan tembaga.

Hal ini juga didukung pernyataan dari pihak bank sentral AS, The Fed, terkait prospek pemulihan ekonomi dunia. The Fed mengatakan, tambahan dukungan fiskal dan distribusi massal vaksin virus corona dinilai akan memberi efek positif bagi pemulihan ekonomi di semester II/2021.

Riset dari Huatai Futures menyebutkan, pelaku pasar mengharapkan lebih banyak paket stimulus fiskal setelah Biden dan dua anggota Senat AS dari Partai Demokrat resmi dilantik. Munculnya paket stimulus terbaru dinilai akan memicu kenaikan konsumsi tembaga. Sumber : Bloomberg, Editor : Hafiyyan

(17)

Like 'Crazy', Coal Prices Break

the Record, Now US$ 90/ton

Tirta Citradi, CNBC Indonesia

LIKE

crazy, the price of the ICE Newcastle thermal coal futures contract shot up sharply in trading yesterday, Tuesday (12/1/2021). The contract price, which expired at the end of February, gained 6.35% in one day.

Now the coal contract price has reached the level of US$ 90.5/ton. This is at the same time the highest price this year and since the last two years, or precisely March 20, 2020.

The increase in coal prices was still triggered by tight supply in China. Last week, Qinhuangdao China's local coal price of 5,500 Kcal/kg rose 8.9%. Now the price of Chinese coal has reached RMB 858/ton. Far exceeding the Chinese government's target of RMB 500 - 570 per tonne. This means that there is a difference of RMB 318/ton from the highest level allowed by the Chinese government.

Electricity consumption in China is on the rise. Winter and the approaching Chinese New Year make the need for heating increases. However, high demand is not accompanied by an adequate supply. At the same time, the low supply of domestic coal also caused the mining commodity's price to skyrocket significantly. The Chinese government continues to strive to increase local production and relax import policies so that prices fall and demand can be met.

Bak 'Kesetanan' Harga Batu

Bara Tembus Rekor, Kini

US$90/ton

Tirta Citradi, CNBC Indonesia

BAK

kesetanan, harga kontrak futures (berjangka) batu bara termal ICE Newcastle melesat tajam pada perdagangan kemarin, Selasa (12/1/2021). Harga kontrak yang kadaluwarsa akhir Februari tersebut menguat 6,35% dalam sehari.

Kini harga kontrak batu bara tersebut tembus level US$ 90,5/ton. Ini sekaligus menjadi harga tertinggi tahun ini dan sejak hampir dua tahun terakhir atau tepatnya 20 Maret 2020.

Kenaikan harga batu bara masih dipicu oleh ketatnya pasokan di China. Minggu lalu harga batu bara lokal China Qinhuangdao 5.500 Kcal/kg naik 8,9%. Sekarang harga batu bara China sudah tembus RMB 858/ton.

Jauh melampaui target pemerintah China yang mematoknya di RMB 500 - 570 per ton. Artinya ada selisih RMB 318/ton dari level tertingginya yang diizinkan oleh pemerintah China.

Konsumsi listrik di China memang sedang naik-naiknya. Musim dingin dan jelang tahun baru Imlek membuat kebutuhan untuk penghangat ruangan menjadi meningkat. Namun permintaan yang tinggi tidak dibarengi dengan pasokan yang mencukupi. Di saat yang sama minimnya pasokan batu bara domestik juga membuat harga komo-ditas tambang tersebut melesat signifikan. Pemerintah China terus berupaya untuk me-naikkan produksi lokalnya dan melonggar-kan kebijamelonggar-kan impor agar harganya turun dan permintaan dapat terpenuhi.

(18)

Daily News Update Page 18 However, the import easing policy does not

apply to Australia. Canberra-Beijing relations were plagued by problems after Australia requested an independent investigation into the origin of the Corona virus.

Not accepting this action, China responded with a boycott of Australian products. One of them is coal. China's boycott of Australian coal actually benefits Indonesia as China's second largest coal supplier.

On the other hand, when Chinese demand fell, India's share of the Australian coal import market grew. The dispute between the two countries makes the market dynamic.

As Reuters columnist Clyde Russel wrote, the Australia-China bilateral relationship has helped to 'realign' the Asia Pacific seaborne coal market.

China's imports from Indonesia surged to 12.19 million tonnes in December, surpassing the previous record of 10.47 million in April 2019, and nearly tripling from the 4.3 million recorded in November. India's imports from Australia totaled 6.24 million tonnes in December, up from 5.06 million in November and 5.48 million in October, with the past three months beating the previous high of 4.81 million from December 2019.

India's imports from Indonesia totaled 5.65 million tonnes in December, below the volume from Australia, and down from 5.82 million in November and 6.75 million in October.

"This December figure is also far below India's record imports from Indonesia, 10.58 million tons in April 2019." Russell wrote as preached by Reuters.

It should be noted that most of Australia's coal exports to India are metallurgical or coking coal which is widely used for steel production.

Namun kebijakan pelonggaran impor tidak berlaku untuk Australia. Hubungan Canberra-Beijing diterpa masalah setalah Australia meminta untuk diadakan investigasi secara independen terkait asal muasal virus Corona. Tidak terima dengan tindakan tersebut, China membalasnya dengan aksi boikot produk-produk Australia. Salah satunya adalah batu bara. Boikot batu bara Australia oleh China justru menguntungkan Indonesia sebagai pemasok batu bara terbesar kedua China. Di sisi lain saat permintaan China anjlok, pangsa pasar impor batu bara Australia oleh India justru semakin bertambah. Adanya percekcokan kedua negara membuat pasar menjadi dinamis.

Seperti yang ditulis oleh kolumnis Reuters Clyde Russel, hubungan bilateral Australia-China turut 'menyetel kembali' pasar batu bara lintas laut (seaborne) Asia Pasifik.

Impor China dari Indonesia melonjak men-jadi 12,19 juta ton pada Desember, melam-paui rekor sebelumnya 10,47 juta pada April 2019, dan naik hampir tiga kali lipat dari 4,3 juta yang tercatat pada November.

Impor India dari Australia mencapai 6,24 juta ton pada Desember, naik dari 5,06 juta pada November dan 5,48 juta pada Oktober, dengan ketiga bulan terakhir ini mengalah-kan rekor tertinggi sebelumnya sebesar 4,81 juta dari Desember 2019.

Impor India dari Indonesia mencapai 5,65 juta ton pada bulan Desember, di bawah volume dari Australia, dan turun dari 5,82 juta pada bulan November dan 6,75 juta pada bulan Oktober.

"Angka Desember ini juga jauh di bawah rekor impor India dari Indonesia, 10,58 juta ton pada April 2019." tulis Russell sebagai-mana diwartakan Reuters.

Perlu dicatat bahwa sebagian besar ekspor batu bara Australia ke India adalah batu bara metalurgi atau kokas yang banyak digunakan untuk produksi baja.

(19)

Daily News Update Page 19 However, based on ship tracking data,

there was also an increase in the volume of thermal coal imports. Most likely this was a result of Australian miners seeking new markets to replace lost shipments to China. CNBC INDONESIA RESEARCH TEAM (twg twg)

Namun berdasarkan data pelacakan kapal, terjadi peningkatan volume impor batu bara termal juga. Kemungkinan besar ini sebagai akibat dari penambang Australia yang mencari pasar baru untuk mengganti-kan pengiriman yang hilang ke China. TIM RISET CNBC INDONESIA (twg/twg)

China’s ban on Australian coal forces trade flows to realign

Reuters

CHINA’s

effective ban on imports of Australian coal is forcing a realignment of flows between the world’s two biggest importers and two largest exporters.

Indonesia and Australia dominate the global seaborne coal trade, with the Southeast Asian nation tops in thermal coal, used mainly in power plants, while Australia is the biggest shipper of coking coal, used to make steel, and the number two in thermal coal.

China is the world’s biggest coal importer, while India ranks second.

China’s major coal supplier was Australia, but this ended in the second half of last year after Beijing’s unofficial ban on imports from Australia, believed to be in retaliation for Canberra’s call for an international probe of the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

While Indonesia was China’s second-biggest supplier, it has now seen demand surge as imports from Australia dropped to nearly zero.

For India, the situation has reversed, with Indonesia in danger of losing its status as the South Asian nation’s top supplier to Australia, a country that in the past has shipped only relatively modest volumes of coking coal to India.

The shift in coal flows can be clearly seen in the December data compiled by Refinitiv.

China’s imports from Australia were a mere 447,523 tonnes, the lowest since Refinitiv started compiling vessel-tracking and port data in January 2015, and down massively from the 2020 high of 9.64 million tonnes in June.

Even those modest volumes from Australia might not be available for end users since the Refinitiv data only measures cargoes that have been discharged, meaning its possible the shipments have yet to clear customs.

However, China’s imports from Indonesia soared to 12.19 million tonnes in December, easily eclipsing the prior record of 10.47 million in April 2019, and up almost threefold from the 4.3 million recorded in November.

India’s imports from Australia were 6.24 million tonnes in December, up from 5.06 million in November and 5.48 million in October, with all three recent months beating the prior record high of 4.81 million from December 2019.

(20)

Daily News Update Page 20 India’s imports from Indonesia were 5.65 million tonnes in December, below the volume from Australia, and down from 5.82 million in November and 6.75 million in October.

The December figure is also well below the record for India’s imports from Indonesia, 10.58 million tonnes in April 2019.

It’s worth noting that the majority of Australia’s coal exports to India are coking coal, but the vessel-tracking data suggest increasing volumes of thermal coal as well, perhaps as a result of Australian miners seeking new markets to replace lost shipments to China.

Indonesia wins on prices

While the flows data clearly show the changes caused by Beijing’s ban on imports from Australia, the impact on prices is less obvious.

Indonesian thermal coal is generally of a lower energy value than Australian, and therefore trades at a discount to the Australian benchmark Newcastle index.

Indonesian coal with an energy value of 4,200 kilocalories per kg, as assessed by commodity price reporting agency Argus, ended the week of Jan. 8 at $45.56 per tonne, the highest since July 2018.

The price has rallied 101.3% since the 2020 low of $22.63 a tonne in the week to Sept. 4. That looks like an impressive rally, and certainly additional Chinese demand is a factor, but Australian thermal coal prices have also been rallying, despite the loss of Chinese buyers. The Newcastle weekly index was at $80.36 a tonne on Jan. 8, down from the recent high of $83.26, but still 73.3% above the low for 2020 of $46.37, reached in the week to Sept. 4.

(21)

Daily News Update Page 21 The increase in the Newcastle index is likely related to increased demand from Australia’s traditional customers in north Asia, such as Japan, whose imports from down under rose to 9.17 million tonnes in December, the highest since January 2020, and up from 8.13 million in November.

Demand is being boosted by colder than usual weather across much of north Asia, and the limited availability of spot cargoes of liquefied natural gas, which is crimping gas-fired generation.

While Indonesia appears to be the main beneficiary of the rising prices and the Chinese ban on Australian imports, the major loser is definitely China.

It is having to pay substantially more for alternative supplies, and there are reports of coal shortages in certain parts of the country, just as winter bites.

China’s domestic coal prices have also soared, with benchmark thermal supplies at Qinhuangdao surging to the highest since consultancy SteelHome started providing assessments in 2011.

The price reached 878 yuan ($135.79) a tonne on Monday, up 88% since the 2020 low of 467 yuan in early May.

If Beijing relented on its boycott of Australian coal it’s conceivable that domestic prices may ease, given they would face competition from cheaper imports. (Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

Newcrest gives Havieron project green light

Nickolas Zakharia

NEWCREST

Mining has received regulatory and funding approval for the Havieron joint venture (JV) with Greatland Gold in Western Australia.

Havieron’s current regulatory approvals allow Newcrest to begin key early works at the project.

The approvals were followed by Newcrest’s board accepting $146 million in funding to advance construction of the project’s box cut, exploration decline and associated surface infrastructure, which includes evaporation ponds, explosives magazine, maintenance workshops, fuel facilities and an administration building and laydown area.

Newcrest is also finalising its water management plan at Havieron to progress additional approvals and permits required for the project’s underground mine operation and associated infrastructure.

Newcrest managing director and chief executive officer Sandeep Biswas said the Havieron project could start commercial production as soon as three years from initiating the box cut and exploration decline.

(22)

Daily News Update Page 22 “We continue our journey towards potentially achieving commercial production from the Havieron Project within three years from the commencement of the box cut and exploration decline,” he said.

Newcrest has established a loan agreement with JV partner Greatland Gold, providing the company with $50 million in loan facilities, which will enable funding for early works and growth drilling activities.

The Havieron project has an inferred mineral resources estimate of 52 million tonnes at two grams of gold and 0.3 per cent copper for 3.4 million ounces of gold and 160,000 ounces of copper.

In November 2020, Newcrest announced that it had met its stage 3 expenditure requirement at Havieron of US$45 million (57 million), allowing it to earn an additional 20 per cent in the JV for a total interest of 60 per cent.

The company has the option to earn up to 70 per cent through total expenditure of US$65 million.

Teranga posts record 40% production growth in 2020

By Vladimir Basov

TERANGA

Gold (TSX:TGZ; OTCQX:TGCDF) reported Tuesday that the full-year 2020 gold

production of 404,460 ounces exceeded the top end of the company’s full-year production guidance range.

Teranga said it produced a “record” 119,364 ounces of gold in the fourth quarter, increasing full-year production to 404,460 ounces of gold in 2020, a year-over-year increase of 40%. The company added that full-year gold production “topped” the high end of Teranga’s increased guidance range of between 375,000 and 400,000 ounces with both of its operating mines, Sabodala-Massawa and Wahgnion, “meeting or exceeding” each of their respective guidance ranges.

According to the company’s statement, this marks the “fifth consecutive year” that the company has both attained “record annual gold production” and “exceeded production guidance.”

“Teranga’s highly skilled operating teams achieved record production for the fifth year in a row, a testament to their expertise and dedication, as well as the quality of our assets,” said COO Paul Chawrun. “The successful integration of the high-grade Massawa gold project with our flagship Sabodala mine combined with the first full year of operations at Wahgnion resulted in record production for the quarter and year.”

(23)

Daily News Update Page 23 “We have achieved our vision of becoming a low-cost mid-tier gold producer, with two strong operations and a highly prospective organic growth pipeline,” said President and CEO Richard Young. “Our combination with Endeavour Mining is a natural next step for Teranga and will allow our shareholders to benefit further as owners of a best-in-class senior gold producer poised for continued growth.”

US 2021 coal production expected to rise 15.6% on year: EIA

Author: Tyler Godwin, Editor: Shashwat Pradhan

THE US

is estimated to produce 602.6 million st of coal in 2021, the Energy Information Administration said in a Jan. 12 report, lowering its estimate from a month ago by roughly 21.2 million st, or 3.4%.

However, the 2021 production would be 15.6% higher than the estimated 55-year low 537.2 million st produced in 2020, while 2022 production is estimated at 627.8 million st, the EIA said in its January Short-Term Energy Outlook.

The 2021 production estimate was only the second decrease in the last six months.

Power-sector coal consumption is projected to be 493.8 million st in 2021 and 539.5 million st in 2022, up from 434.3 million st in 2020. Average stockpiles in the electric sector are expected to decline to 134.6 million st in 2021, from 139.6 million st in 2020. Inventories are expected to fall again to 116.8 million st in 2022.

Total consumption, including by petcoke plants and retail, is estimated at 537.1 million st in 2021 and 581.4 million st in 2022, up from 476.3 million st in 2020.

Coal is expected to make up 22.4% of US power generation in 2021 and 24.1% in 2022, compared with 19.9% generated from coal in 2020.

Renewables are projected to make up 21.3% of the stack in 2021 and 22.7% in 2022, up from 19.6% in 2020.

Power generation from natural gas is estimated at 35.7% in 2021 and 33.6% in 2022, compared with 39.3% in 2020.

(24)

Daily News Update Page 24 The estimated decrease in natural gas generation is largely due to a drop in dry gas production and rising gas prices, and is forecast to average 88.17 Bcf/d in 2021 and 89.65 Bcf/d in 2022, down from 90.77 Bcf/d averaged in 2020.

The EIA projects the spot Henry Hub gas price to average $3.13/MMBtu this year and $3.40/MMBtu in 2022, compared with $2.11/MMBtu in 2020.

Exports to rise from four-year low

Coal exports are projected to be at 81.9 million st in 2021, up from the four-year low 66.5 million st in 2020. Exports are expected to increase again in 2022 to 92.1 million st.

Thermal coal export volumes are estimated at 31.7 million st in 2021 and 35.4 million st in 2022, up from 24.4 million st in 2020.

The remaining 50.2 million st in 2021 are expected to be metallurgical coal exports, while 2022 exports are projected at 56.7 million st. In 2020, the US exported roughly 42.1 million st of met coal.

Exports are expected to make up 13.6% of the total US coal production in 2021 and 14.7% in 2022, up from 12.4% in 2020, according to EIA data.

TABLE OF CONTENTS. No. Title Media Source Page