President Director of PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), Tony Wenas, stated that the implementation of the smart mining concept by PTFI has proven to enhance safety and productivity while reducing costs in mining operations.
Tony explained that PTFI has currently implemented cloud computing-based technology with an adoption rate of 80 percent and uses more than 200 servers to support its operational systems.
"With smart mining, human presence in the blasting, hauling, and crushing processes is minimized, which improves safety. Additionally, with remote operation from a distance of 8 kilometers, productivity can increase," said Tony during the 'Data Driven Strategy in Mining and Mineral Resources' session at the Indonesia Data and Economic Conference (IDE) 2025, in Jakarta, on Tuesday.
Tony further explained that the use of this technology has reduced operational time by up to two hours per day, resulting in cost efficiency.
He gave an example that employees used to spend up to two hours commuting to and from the underground mine.
"With this technology, we can save two hours a day, and of course, from a cost perspective, it will be much lower," he added.
In addition to improving time and cost efficiency, the technology applied also enables faster decision-making based on more accurate data.
However, Tony emphasized that the final decision still lies in the hands of humans, while technology serves as a tool to assist in the analysis and processing of data.
"Decision-making is still carried out by humans, but the process becomes faster with more accurate data," he said.
In the discussion, Tony also revealed that the implementation of smart mining technology at PT Freeport Indonesia was not a sudden decision, but rather a plan that has been in place since 2006.
Smart mining is a concept that utilizes data-based technology to improve efficiency and productivity in mining operations. This technology includes the use of the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and big data analytics.
Not only applied in mining operations, digital technology is also used in other aspects, such as the employee recruitment process, which now relies on AI-based systems to enhance efficiency and accuracy in selection.
Tony emphasized that the development of digital technology in the mining industry is not just an option, but a necessity.
He explained that mining companies face limitations in product innovation, so innovation must be focused on processes and operations.
"All systems are already digitalized, but there are still many potential breakthroughs that we can make in the future. We strive to be highly adaptive to needs and developments," he added.
