PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) seeks to optimize digitalization in the Grasberg mining operational area in Papua.

Freeport Indonesia President Director Toni Wenas said PTFI strives to always be adaptive to technological developments. The mining sector is also considered to have not escaped digitalization. Moreover, this sector is said to have a high risk to the safety of its workers.

The condition of PTFI's mine is quite complex because it is located at an altitude of 4,000 meters above sea level. The city of Tembagapura, which is close to PTFI's operational area, is also located at an altitude of 2,000 meters above sea level. PTFI also has a riverside port 100 kilometers from the sea coast.

"Rainfall in our mining area is the highest in the world," he said at the Indonesia Digital Conference, Tuesday (22/11).

PTFI has begun to adopt mining digitalization since 2006 and has gradually passed through the Advanced Digital Technology program. One example of its implementation is the installation of chips on PTFI mining cars or trucks, which currently number more than 3,000 units.

With the chip, supervisorsat PTFI can track the company's mining trucks, including anticipating when the trucks experience problems on the road.

When PTFI began to focus on working on underground mining, digital technology was increasingly massively implemented by the company. Heavy equipment used for underground mining activities can all operate automatically. The operator of such heavy equipment carries out work from an office 10 km away from the mine area.

"The risk of underground mining is very large, so if mining activities can be carried outremotely, this is certainly very helpful for us," said Toni.

Not only that, since 2021, PTFi has also adopted 5G mining technology in the Grasberg mining area through collaboration with Telkomsel. This 5G technology cooperation covers an operating area of 2loadersor ore transport devices in extraction tunnels 34 and 35 at the Grasberg Block Cave (GBC) mine.

In addition, 5G is also implemented by PTFI in public areas such as underground mining administration offices, tera shops, Tembagapura's main office building, and Kuala Kencana office buildings.

Toni said that PTFI has poured investment in the range of US$ 20 million since 2006 for the implementation of digitalization in the company's mining area. This value does not include investment in mining digitalization support equipment. "This digital investment is long-term," he said.

With the adoption of digital technology, PTFI can improve its mining efficiency and productivity. In addition, the work safety of PTFI employees is also more guaranteed with the implementation of digital technology.

Image source: ILUSTRASI

Source: https://industri.kontan.co.id/news/freeport-indonesia-optimalkan-teknologi-digital-di-tambang-grasberg