As one of Indonesia’s largest copper and gold mining companies, PT Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara (AMMAN) is committed to minimizing the environmental impact of its business operations by prioritizing long-term sustainability practices. A key focus of these efforts is waste management, particularly in the innovative reuse of used oil as fuel for power plants.
Open-pit mines, such as Batu Hijau, consume a significant volume of oil due to the high pressure exerted on heavy equipment during ore extraction and processing. With continuous, round-the-clock operations, the need for oil in maintaining equipment and machinery is especially high.
Before it can be reused as fuel for power plants, the used oil undergoes processing, including filtration to remove contaminants such as dirt, water, and metal particles that accumulate during previous use. This used oil is also routinely tested to ensure it is free from heavy metals and other toxic substances.
In 2023, AMMAN’s initiative to repurpose used oil as fuel for power plants resulted in significant environmental and operational benefits. The plant operates at a high combustion temperature of 950°C, using used oil at a rate of 10 liters per minute. A total of 339,994 liters of used oil was utilized, reducing coal consumption by 313 tons.
This small step underscores AMMAN’s commitment to decarbonization efforts, which aligns with global initiatives for a cleaner economy amid the increasing demand for copper products Additionally, AMMAN is transitioning the Batu Hijau copper and gold mine from coal-fired power plants to more sustainable energy solutions. AMMAN is also initiating an energy transition from coal to liquefied natural gas (LNG), a lower-carbon energy solution, through the construction of a 450 MW combined cycle gas and steam power plant (PLTGU).
