Research Roadmap

1. Fossil Energy Exploration Field:

• Characterization of oil shale deposits for their development potential as non-conventional energy resources (research is already underway and the results have been published this year). Some of the results of this research are also in the planning stage for publication in the coming years.
• Karakterisasi endapan batubara untuk mendukung underground coal gasification yang merupakan pengembangan topik berdasarkan trend diversifikasi pemanfaatan batubara (proposal penelitian sudah diajukan dan sudah disetujui oleh DIKTI untuk pendanaan tahun 2017 sebesar Rp 100 juta.
• Characterization of coal deposits to support underground coal gasification, which is a topic development based on the trend of coal utilization diversification (a research proposal has been submitted and approved by DIKTI for funding in 2017 amounting to IDR 100 million.
• Characterization of coal deposits to support its use as coke, where currently coal deposits with the appropriate FSI (CSN) for coke have been found in Central Kalimantan, but there is no genetic characterization and composition of the organic material of the coal.
• Characterization of coal deposits to predict the occurrence of coal balls in various Indonesian coals. Coal balls have now become the focus of several mining companies because they are a significant obstacle that disrupts mining operations, processing, or reduces their quality.

2. Field of Exploration and Evaluation of Mineral Materials

Along with the rapid demand for mineral and energy resources, it demands the discovery of new mineral deposits. It is hoped that the sediment genetic model will be able to provide guidance in increasing the success of exploration programs. The accuracy of reserve estimation and evaluation is a challenge in itself to decide on the feasibility of exploiting minerals and becomes an input for economic valuation of minerals. Exploration activities for minerals are expected to be able to answer statements regarding “what, where, form, and how” of the existence of minerals and their implications for the environment that will arise later. This encourages the creation of research collaboration networks between KK-ESDB members or across KK members in new frontier researches. The research focus in this field is as follows

• Development of mining exploration technology that is suitable for tropical areas and rugged morphology and more accurate mineral evaluation technology.
• Research evaluating mineral resources and reserves.
• Geostatistical application research and reserve quantification

3. Geotechnology for Exploration

Technological advances in the field of earth and mineral exploration are one of the important keys to the success of the mineral exploration program. Application development, method development and technology combinations will produce solutions to earth problems that are cheaper, more effective and more efficient. It is hoped that the development of geotechnology applications will also accelerate the discovery of new mineral and energy resources. To answer the challenges above, the development of geotechnology applications for exploration prepares software and hardware that supports exploration activities in the field. The combination of the application of geophysical, geochemical, remote sensing and geographic information systems methods will make geological interpretation more accurate and easier for the public to use/read. The research focus in this field is as follows:

• Development of field research technology for appropriate geotechnical techniques, both directly and indirectly, to support mining technology during exploration.
• Research on the application of geophysics and geochemistry for exploration of minerals and the environment.
• Research on remote sensing applications for exploration of minerals and energy resources, especially applications relevant to tropical regions.

4. Groundwater, Geothermal and Environmental Resources Sectors

In the future, the need for energy, minerals and water will increase rapidly. Research challenges are faced to be able to answer the problem of rapidly increasing human needs for natural resources, increasing progress of civilization and improving the environment. At the same time, the threat of decreasing the quantity and quality of groundwater will become an important concern where environmental changes occur due to exploitation of earth’s resources. In the present and future, in meeting energy and mineral needs to support the progress of civilization, deep open pit mining, underground mining development, coal bed methane and geothermal production are not only faced with technological problems alone, but are faced with solutions to address internal groundwater problems. such exploitation as well as the influence of exploitation on the environment and the balance of groundwater resources and efforts to restore them. To answer the challenges above, science and technology in the field of hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical engineering in the KK-ESDB will be able to contribute to research and scientific development for the search for groundwater resources, the application of hydrogeology for the exploration and exploitation of energy and mineral resources by considering environmental aspects. Groundwater, geothermal and environmental resources research groups can carry out research collaborations (new frontier research) with other research groups with fellow KK members or across KK.

Research Focus:

• Research on groundwater, water resources and technology for exploration and exploitation of groundwater resources.
• Quantitative hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical research for applications in the fields of mining, geothermal and environmental science.
• Developing hydrogeological technology to support non-conventional energy resource exploitation and mineral exploitation activities.
• Developing hydrogeological knowledge in underground construction.

In the following stages or years, the research topics that have been and are being developed as described above will continue to be deepened in collaboration with various institutions on both a national and international scale. The next stage in 2017-2020 will be collaboration with various national and international institutions to deepen research topics. These institutions include research, educational, government and especially industry institutions so that the research results can later be applied practically in industry. Henceforth, in the mid to late five year period (2018-2020), collaboration will be carried out with various institutions for applications in the industrial sector.