Timah (TINS) Develops a Rare Earth Metal Processing Pilot Plant
BUMNINC.Com | PT Timah Tbk (TINS) seeks to carry out strategic initiative projects for the development of rare earth metals (LTJ). This is in line with the potential of LTJ as a commodity that can be utilized in cutting-edge industries.
Timah corporate secretary Muhammad Zulkarnaen said that his party had built a pilot plant for processing monazite into Rare Earth Hydroxide (REOH) in Tanjung Ular, West Bangka since 2015.
Until now, TINS is trying to optimize the process improvement and product quality of the REOH Pilot Plant by comparing the technology developed at the Nuclear Extraction Technology Center (PTBGN) – the National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN).
“After that, the pilot plant will be developed as a companion to a commercial plant in the context of feed test work to become a process reference in industrial-scale commercial plants,” said Zulkarnaen, Thursday (19/11/2020).
He also explained that TINS together with MIND ID as the holding company for BUMN mining continues to make efforts to accelerate the development of LTJ. This step starts by collecting data on resources based on exploration activities to obtaining certainty about the fulfillment of business sustainability in collaboration with related institutions.
TINS management, a member of the Kompas 100 index, said that the technology used in the processing of LTJ is a closed and strategic geopolitical technology.
“Hence, the project focus at TINS is currently selecting technology and technology providers,” he said.
The choice of this technology is of course also related to environmentally friendly parameters, intermediate or downstream product yield, proven reliability in development, and of course, the technology must be bankable.
Not only that, Zulkarnaen emphasized that the partnership that TINS will undertake is not only limited to providing technology, but it is also hoped that a partnership as an off-taker for LTJ products in the future.
Citing the previous news, the development of LTJ is still in its early stages. The government itself is drafting regulations related to the processing and utilization of LTJ, which rules are drawn up through discussions across ministries and institutions.
This regulation also involves BATAN because apart from being categorized as an associated mineral, LTJ also contains radioactive elements. []
