Successful transition to Ausmelt® TSL technology at PT Timah

In 2017, PT Timah embarked on a transformational journey in the world of tin smelting, partnering with Metso to usher in a new era of efficiency, sustainability and technological advancement within their operations. To address the challenge of declining concentrate grades, a more intense smelting process with higher energy efficiency and reduced operating costs was required for their Muntok smelter. Enter: The Ausmelt® TSL Process for tin smelting.

PT Timah engaged Metso to provide engineering design, core proprietary equipment supply, training and commissioning services as well as spare parts for a new Ausmelt® Top Submerged Lance (TSL) Tin Smelter in West Bangka, Indonesia. A single Ausmelt® TSL furnace - capable of producing 45,000 tonnes of crude tin bullion annually – was to replace their six existing reverberatory furnaces.

The value of this transition is almost immeasurable. In addition to increasing profitability, its impact on the community continues to prove significantly positive.

“PT TIMAH TBK's new smelter will increase the added value of domestic tin processing, provide added value in the country, and create more jobs," says Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia.

Proven and reliable technology

Ausmelt® TSL technology is used by five of the top ten largest refined tin producers in the world, with approximately 40% of global tin production being derived from Ausmelt® TSL operations. Backed by decades of experience, continuous process development and more than 60 installations worldwide, the technology provides an integrated solution for the processing of not only tin, but also copper, lead, nickel, zinc and precious-metal bearing primary (concentrate) and secondary (slags, residues, dusts, wastes) feeds.

"PT Timah is carrying out a transformation of processing technology with Ausmelt® as a form of technology optimization, capacity building, production efficiency and environmental safety and health,” Achmad Ardianto, President and Director of PT Timah.

The technology incorporates high levels of automation and is backed by an integrated process control system and digital solutions for enhanced operational safety, stability and control.

“The operating system is much more reliable than the technology that we had previously, which were reverberatory furnaces,” says Kopdi Kardi Saragih, Vice Head of Metallurgy Unit Muntok at PT Timah. “One of the advantages is the presence of the operating system, which gives us real-time, accurate and strict semi-automatic process control. This makes our smelting operations easier in terms of planning, control, evaluation and requires relatively fewer human resources.”

Utilizing Metso expertise

Commissioning of the Timah Ausmelt Smelter commenced in August 2022, with first feed to the furnace occurring in December 2022. Over the ensuing five months, Metso maintained a site presence to support a gradual ramp-up in smelter throughput, thus optimising equipment operation and metallurgical performance.

“The TSL Ausmelt® team also supported us in terms of improving and fulfilling human resource competencies,” says Kopdi. “This was extremely important in ensuring we can pass the technological leap smoothly.”

In the first week of May 2023, a team of five Metso specialists from Australia conducted performance testing of the smelter. The test successfully demonstrated operational targets relating to bullion production, bullion quality and tin recovery could be achieved.

Exceeding production benefits

In addition to helping customers achieve their throughput and recovery targets, Metso’s Ausmelt® TSL Technology provides a robust and adaptable platform for metals recovery from a wide range of feed material inputs.

“Another advantage of the Ausmelt® TSL technology is its flexibility regarding feed quality,” says Kopdi. “This technology is capable of processing tin feeds with much lower Sn content than before, with very capable performance.”

Utilising the same core equipment design and configuration, the technology is capable of operating under a wide range of conditions; from highly oxidising to highly reducing and across a large temperature range. Operational flexibility inherent to the technology, enables product quality targets to be achieved even with variability in the composition and nature of feed material inputs.

“All the advantages make operational costs also more competitive,” says Kopdi. “From the operational side, there is an opportunity to utilize big data that has been generated during operational activities so as to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of operational activities.”

Continued partnership success

On 10th May 2023, President and Director of PT Timah Tbk, Achmad Ardianto, formally signed the Acceptance Certificate, recognising successful startup of the Timah Ausmelt Smelter.

PT Timah has a mission to become the world's leading environmentally friendly mining company. Due to our similar visions, as well as the successful implementation of our technologies, the site will continue to collaborate with Metso as partners for future development.

At Metso, it is our core expertise to help our customers transform the industry. We understand our customer’s world and the daily challenges they face. That is why, together, we are the partner for positive change.