October’s issue of International Mining includes the third in a series of articles on Freeport – focusing on initiatives to develop local people and their skills. Following this, there is news of PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) Nemangkawi Mining Institute continuing to support sustainable development, especially for Papuans, near the company’s area of operation. This training facility currently has 60 students in its heavy equipment (haul truck) operator training program, with all of them taking turns learning to operate a haul truck through simulator training and field training. “They must undertake some 250 hours of training, 100 of which using the virtual and Immersive Technologies simulators,” said Firdaus Effendy, a senior instructor at Nemangkawi.
Subandi, another instructor who has been with PTFI for 32 years, explained that there are six levels of training for the both virtual simulator and Immersive simulator. “For the virtual simulator students must learn control familiarisation, corridor driving, quarry driving, dumping, loading, and complete haul cycle. The six levels of the Immersive simulator starts with testing the function of the vehicle and equipment, safely manoeuvring and parking heavy equipment, operating a haul truck day and night, operating equipment during day and night mining cycle, and ends with the most difficult scenario, which is responding to breakdowns and emergencies day and night. All these competencies are in line with current competency standards at PTFI.”
Currently, Nemangkawi has four CAT virtual simulators and two Immersive simulators for operator training. “We also plan to bring in four Western Star simulators in order to maximise this training program for our operators. Nemangkawi Mining Institute is one of the most up-to-date and high-tech training facilities in the world,” stated PTFI Senior Manager – Organisation Development, Peter Mosel.
“To date, Nemangkawi has produced 549 operators through its training program, 294 of whom are currently working at Grasberg as permanent employees. 70 female operators have also taken the training program, 40 of whom are now working at Grasberg and 12 of them are permanent employees,” added Effendy.