JAKARTA - PT Vale Indonesia Tbk (INCO) has successfully brought in an autoclave, which is the main equipment for the High Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL) project in Sambalagi, Bungku Pesisir, Morowali, Central Sulawesi on Wednesday, July 22.
As a National Strategic Project (PSN), the Sambalagi HPAL Project is an important part of the government's agenda in accelerating the nickel downstream and the development of the national electric vehicle ecosystem.
The status was determined through the Minister of Economic Affairs Decree No. 9 of 2022 and No. 21 of 2022 which stipulates the mega-project of the integration of the PT Vale mine in the Bahodopi Block and the nickel processing facility as a PSN.
The HPAL project integrated with the Bahodopi Block mine is developed through PT Bahodopi Nickel Smelting Indonesia (BNSI), a joint venture between PT Vale, GEM Co., Ltd., and EcoPro.
The arrival of the autoclave is a strategic milestone in the construction phase of the project. As the main equipment in the HPAL technology, the autoclave plays a role as the core of the limonite ore processing process through a combination of high temperature, high pressure, and sulfuric acid to efficiently extract nickel and cobalt.
The results of the processing are in the form of Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP), an intermediate material that is an important raw material in the supply chain of the electric vehicle battery industry.
The Sambalagi HPAL facility is designed to have a production capacity of around 90,000 tons of nickel content per year in the form of MHP, with a supply of raw materials of around 10.4 million tons of limonite ore per year from the mining area of PT Vale in Bahodopi.
The plant is built in three production lines (Line A, B, and C) as part of the development of the facility which is targeted to reach first mechanical completion by the end of 2026.
President Director & Chief Executive Officer of PT Vale Indonesia Tbk, Bernardus Irmanto, said that the arrival of the autoclave was a symbol of the project's real progress as well as emphasizing the company's commitment to bringing sustainable mineral beneficiation.
"The arrival of this autoclave is an important milestone in the Sambalagi HPAL Project. As the heart of the HPAL process, the autoclave will enable the processing of limonite ore into high-value-added products that support the global supply chain of electric vehicles," he said in a statement to the media, Thursday, July 23.
As part of its commitment to more sustainable operations, the Sambalagi HPAL Project also integrates various low-carbon solutions in the design of its facilities.
The operational electricity needs will be supported by Waste Heat Recovery Power Generation (WHRPG) which utilizes the residual heat of the production process to generate electricity more efficiently.
In addition, the development of solar power plants is also planned as part of efforts to increase the use of clean energy in industrial areas.
In addition to building processing facilities, this project also develops supporting infrastructure such as logistics docks, utility facilities, worker housing areas, and various social facilities that will support long-term operations.
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