TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto landed at Juanda International Airport, Sidoarjo, East Java, on Monday, March 17, 2025, at 12:40 PM WIB (Western Indonesia Time). His visit includes inaugurating an integrated precious metal refinery (PMR).
According to the Presidential Secretariat’s Press, Media, and Information Bureau, Prabowo was welcomed in Sidoarjo by East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Regional Military Commander V/Brawijaya Major General Rudy Saladin, and East Java Police Chief Inspector General Nanang Avianto.
From Sidoarjo, the President traveled by TNI Air Force Caracal helicopter to Gresik, where he inspected PT Freeport Indonesia’s (PTFI) smelter and inaugurated the world’s largest integrated PMR facility.
Later, Prabowo returned to Sidoarjo via helicopter to Gelora Delta Sidoarjo Stadium, where he officiated the rehabilitation, renovation, and construction of 17 stadiums across Indonesia.
“The President’s visit to Gresik reflects the government’s commitment to advancing domestic mineral processing and refining industries. Meanwhile, the inauguration of stadium renovations and construction underscores the government’s dedication to improving sports facilities,” said Presidential Secretariat Deputy for Protocol, Press, and Media, Yusuf Permana, in a written statement.
Earlier, Prabowo and his limited entourage departed from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, Jakarta, at around 11:30 AM WIB, accompanied by Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto previously announced that PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) is set to produce up to 60 tons of gold annually at the Gresik Special Economic Zone (KEK).
He highlighted Gresik as a success story in economic zones, capable of downstreaming copper and ultimately producing gold.
According to Airlangga, U.S.-based PTFI produced nearly no gold between 1967 and 2024. However, with the new PMR facility in Gresik, Freeport can now produce 60 tons of gold per year.
“There’s a success story in the Gresik Special Economic Zone, where we managed to downstream copper and produce a final product through the precious metal refinery, yielding 60 tons of gold annually,” he stated at the SEZ Business Forum at the St. Regis Hotel, South Jakarta, on Monday, December 9, 2024.
Nabiila Azzahra contributed to the writing of this article.
Editor’s Choice: Prabowo Inaugurates Freeport’s Gold Smelter in Gresik Today
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News