West Nusa Tenggara · Lesser Sunda
Lombok pumice
Lombok holds Indonesia's best-known pumice deposits, laid down by the volcanic history of the island. The material is straightforward and the logistics are not, because a low-value bulk mineral on a small island is a freight problem before it is anything else.
What makes it different.
- Volcanic origin
- Deposits from the island's eruptive history, close enough to the surface that extraction is shallow rather than deep mining.
- Screening near the deposit
- Sizing happens at or near extraction, because moving unscreened material means paying to transport what you will discard.
- Moisture
- Pumice absorbs water and the island is wet in season. Material stockpiled through the rains weighs more and measures differently.
- Permits rather than certificates
- This is mining rather than agriculture. The supplier's mining and export permits are the first thing to check and they are a different set entirely.
Getting it out.
- Lembar and Surabaya
- Lombok's port handles limited container traffic, so a good deal of material moves to Java for export. That leg is part of the cost.
- Volume before weight
- A light bulk mineral, so a container fills long before it weighs out and the cost per cubic metre is the number that matters.
What we source here.
Pumice
A volcanic mineral sold by size and density into horticulture, construction and abrasives. Why freight dominates the landed cost.
Container loading and what actually fits
The cubic capacity figures in circulation disagree with each other. What really decides a load is weight, geometry and the carrier's own specification.
Questions buyers ask.
Why is Lombok the pumice source?
Because the island's volcanic history laid down accessible deposits, and an extraction and screening industry grew around them. Other Indonesian volcanic areas have material and much less processing.
Can I ship direct from Lombok?
Container services from the island are limited, so much material routes through Java. Price the inland and inter-island leg as part of the offer rather than as an extra.
Does the rainy season matter?
Yes. Material stockpiled through the rains carries water, which changes both the weight you pay freight on and the bulk density you specified against.
What does your service cost?
Five per cent of the order value, paid by you and never by the factory. A factory audit starts at $250 depending on location. We work with orders from $10,000 per shipment.
Buying from Lombok?
Tell us the specification and the port. We go to the region, look at the material and put the documents together before anyone quotes a price.