Papua govt, Freeport to build cement factory

JAYAPURA (Antara): PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) and Papua's provincial government are set to build a cement factory using the giant US-based copper and mining company's tailings waste as feedstock, a PTFI spokesman said.

The cement factory project would be carried out based on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu and PTFI President Director Armando Mahler some time ago, PTFI spokesman Mindo Pangaribuan said Wednesday.

"The aim of building the factory is to help process PTFI's tailings into cement products. Actually, some of PTFI's tailings are already being used in various projects in Timika. The waste can also be used in other places for infrastructure development," he said.

Mindo did not mention the details of the project, saying these matters were up to the provincial government to decide