DNX opens 9th emulsion plant

By Er Audy Zandri

Explosive maker and blasting services provider PT DNX Indonesia, a subsidiary of Australia based Dyno Nobel, has officially commenced the operation of its ninth emulsion plant in Kideco - Batu Kajang site on April 27, 2012.

"Production of emulsion at the plant has actually started at the end of February, today is the official opening" said DNX Operation Manager Amsyah Sebayang to Petromindo.com.

With approximately six weeks to construct, DNX said that it has spent up to US$ 3 million worth of investment to build the plant and four units of specifically designed emulsion carrier trucks. The plant is designed with capacity to produce 5 tons of emulsion per hour.

Amsyah said that the plant is constructed to comply with blasting services contracts signed with PT Bukit Makmur Mandiri Utama (Buma), one of the contractors at Kideco's site. The company regularly conducts two blasting services per day at Kideco's site.

Prior to the operation of the ninth plant, DNX was known to operate three emulsion plants in Berau East Kalimantan, two in Samarinda East Kalimantan, one in Adaro's site in South Kalimantan and another one in Martabe North Sumatra.

Overall for the nine plants there are 25 units of Dyno Nobel specifically-designed emulsion carrier truck to support all of the blasting service operations.

The end product of the plants, DNX's emulsion, is resulted from the mixing of ammonium nitrate and other chemical ingredients that will allow the solution to cover wider blasting areas in deeper mines with high water content, covering the weaknesses of ANFO, the conventional form of mining explosives.

Having started its Indonesian operation in 2007, the company aims at reaping much wider market in the near future, from around 15 clients today - such as Buma, SIS, Cipta Krida Tama, Petrosea, AKT and PT Leighton Contractors Indonesia - to 30 clients in 2015.

Editing by David Mustakim