The first presentation of the material was delivered by Dr. Zulfiadi Zulhan who discussed the processing and refining technology of laterite nickel ore. Nickel laterite is a type of nickel oxide that is relatively easy to process but requires a lot of energy.

Laterite nickel ore found in the saprolite layer is generally processed by hydrometallurgical technology, such as RKEF, into stainless steel. Meanwhile, those that are found in the limonite layer are more often used in the battery industry through pyrometallurgical technologies, such as HPAL.

Although Indonesia has many nickel factories, there are still big challenges because all of them only act as operators. Dr. Zulfiadi hopes that multi-stakeholder collaboration can be realized so that Indonesia can become a leading nickel provider country.

The webinar continued by Ir. Wilson Ginting, MM. with a presentation on the IMIP project in Morowali, Central Sulawesi. As an industrial area, Morowali has a number of nickel factories and other factories that support it.

Ir. Wilson explained that the process of forming Nickel Pig Iron (NPI) is the main process in producing high-quality nickel. Furthermore, the NPI will be processed into stainless steel through the stages of decarburization, molding, hot and cold plate formation, and washing.

Through this processing, Morowali can be transformed into a modern, advanced, and smart area. "Investing in Morowali will be very beneficial for the local community by increasing the use value of raw materials to stainless steel, regional economic growth, and employment," he concluded.

Reporter: Sekar Dianwidi B. (Rekayasa Hayati, 2019)
Translator: Aghisna Syifa Rahmani