The Indonesia Miner Conference and Exhibition 2023 held this month showcased Indonesia’s mining ecosystem and most aspects of their mining industry. The Indonesia Miner Facebook page posted that the show brought together 1000+ delegates from 450+ companies coming from 18+ countries. Over fifty speakers, plus many more industry leaders and experts provided their perspectives and created conversations that led to strategic insights and solutions for the industry as a whole.
The focus this year was on metals, including gold, copper, nickel, battery minerals and critical minerals. Some of the key industry players shared how they support the global energy transformation in areas of developing electric vehicle ecosystem, sustainable minerals (e.g. nickel, copper) emissions (low carbon emission -> net zero emissions), and ESG related topics like post mining land reclamation.
McKinsey & Company recently reported that Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of nickel, the second-largest producer of tin, the third-largest producer of coal, the fourth-largest producer of bauxite, and one of the largest producers of copper and gold. It also reported that Southeast Asia’s downstream-processing industry is lagging behind. Investing in digital and analytics could enhance productivity. The McKinsey article also noted: “Numerous new processing projects are planned for the next few years in Indonesia, mainly focused on the nickel and copper industries. When these megaprojects go online, they could materially increase the processing capacity of metal derivatives in Indonesia and position the country as an emerging and vital player in the processing industry. Other Southeast Asian countries are not far behind and are experiencing similar developments.”
At our booth, we demonstrated several analytical technologies for mining exploration, operations, and processing that can bring important insights to mining operations.
Attendees were able to see live demonstrations of handheld XRF analyzers used in the exploration stage to get a quick, non-destructive analysis. Insights gained from these instruments is often required for outcrop and soil analysis, advanced exploration and drilling, core sample analysis, mine mapping, grade control, and cuttings analysis for mud logging and reservoir characterization.
We also discussed process analyzers used in mining labs for QA/AC (XRF, XRD, ICP-OES) and mineral processing. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXRF) an analytical technique that enables the chemical characterization/elemental analysis of materials. Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WDXRF) is preferred to EDXRF for high resolution applications (~15-150 eV) and analysis of lower atomic mass elements and rare earths.
During the mineral processing stage, the ore must be crushed, milled, separated, screened, and treated to remove impurities and help ensure the highest quality of material. Continuous online analysis and monitoring of raw material composition is key to improving product quality and integrity, maximizing resources, and meeting customer specifications.
In addition to analyzing the ore and the minerals, mining operators need to analyze the air, and we provided information on gas and particulate monitoring for the workers and for the environment. Fugitive dust is typically created through activities such as the physical movement of soil, vehicles traveling over unpaved surfaces, heavy equipment operation, blasting, and wind. Most regions have established exposure limits on projects that typically result in high levels of particulate generation and the exposure limits are written into the operating permit. Personal dust monitoring systems are used to protect miners’ health by monitoring individual exposure to dust and airborne debris. And continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) are used to monitor harmful greenhouse gases from stacks, allowing plants to reduce emissions where necessary and meet regulatory requirements. Even coal blending and quality need to be monitored as both will effect the energy produced by the plant and the environment around it.
We were delighted to get back to this in-person Indonesia show. The event was full of energy, interactive discussions, and solid connections with our customers. The show might be over, but our website is always available if more specifics are needed for any of the mining and mineral solutions mentioned above.
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