West Nusa Tenggara, Wartatambang.com -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has highlighted the potential economic benefits of PT Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara's (AMNT) copper smelter and precious metal refining facility in West Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara. This facility is expected to significantly contribute to both regional and national economic growth.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Jokowi expressed optimism that the project would increase the regional gross domestic product (GDP) of West Nusa Tenggara, with direct benefits extending to West Sumbawa and, ultimately, the broader Indonesian population.

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Jokowi underscored that the establishment of smelters to process copper concentrate into pure metal is vital for Indonesia, a country with some of the world’s largest copper reserves. By processing raw materials domestically, the country can maximize the value of its resources and reduce dependence on raw material exports.

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He emphasized the drawbacks of exporting raw copper concentrate, noting that such practices primarily benefit countries with smelter facilities. In contrast, Indonesia, as the resource owner, misses out on the added value. The president commended PT Amman for its bold initiative in building the smelter, describing it as a critical step toward boosting the country's economic potential.

"If we only export raw concentrate, we lose the opportunity to gain added value from our resources. The real benefits go to countries that have processing facilities. Therefore, PT Amman’s decision to build this smelter deserves high appreciation," Jokowi remarked.

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