Merdeka Group Highlights Pani Gold Mine Development and Digital Exploration at Indonesia Miner 2026
Merdeka Group contributed to discussion sessions at Indonesia Miner Conference and Exhibition 2026, an international mining industry forum. Bringing together industry players, regulators, investors, and mining technology providers, the event featured two speakers from Merdeka Group who discussed the development of the Pani Gold Mine and the use of digital technology in mineral exploration.
Indonesia Miner 2026 was held on 5–7 May 2026 at The Westin Jakarta under the theme “Mining with Meaning: Driving Progress through Responsibility and Intelligence”. Attended by more than 1,800 international delegates, the event became one of Indonesia’s largest mining forums. Discussions covered a wide range of topics, including critical minerals, energy transition, mine project development, and the use of technology to support operational efficiency and sustainability.
The forum also served as a platform for exchanging ideas on the challenges and transformation of the global mining industry, including the adoption of technology and the development of sustainable projects.
Representing PT Merdeka Gold Resources Tbk, part of Merdeka Group, Project Development Senior Manager Zulfallah spoke in the “Fireside Chat: Pani Heap Leach Project” session alongside Metso. During the session, he shared updates on the Pani Gold Mine in Gorontalo, which is being developed as one of the largest primary gold mines in Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific region.
“We have completed the construction and commissioning of the main heap leach facilities, including supporting infrastructure such as mine roads, port facilities, and processing plants,” said Zulfallah. “The heap leach operation is now running and serves as the foundation for the next stage of development.”
He explained that the Pani heap leach facility was designed with an initial processing capacity of 8 million tonnes of ore per year, with further expansions planned in stages. In the next phase, Pani is also developing a Carbon-in-Leach (CIL) facility targeted to begin operations in 2028. “The CIL development is a strategic step to improve gold recovery and increase Pani’s long-term production capacity,” he said.
During the discussion, Zulfallah also highlighted the importance of technical collaboration with technology partners to ensure an optimal commissioning process. According to him, continuous technical support is essential to maintaining the project’s operational reliability.
“In the gold mining industry, reliability is not only a technical matter, but also closely linked to production sustainability and operational efficiency,” said Zulfallah. “That is why we select technologies and OEM [Original Equipment Manufacturer] support with strong reputations.”
In addition to gold mine development, Merdeka Group also highlighted digital transformation in mineral exploration through a presentation by Diki Nurul Huda, GIS (Geographic Information System) Technical Analyst at PT Merdeka Copper Gold Tbk. In the session “Empowering Mineral Exploration with Open-Source GIS: A Practical Workflow for Data Integration and Target Mapping”, Diki said that data complexity continues to grow alongside the expansion of exploration and mining operations.
“Almost all activities in the mining industry are location-based. Therefore, GIS plays an important role in ensuring data can be integrated, visualized, and used to support faster and more accurate decision-making,” said Diki.
Diki explained that Merdeka has developed the M-GIS platform, an open-source GIS-based system integrating QGIS, PostGIS, GeoServer, and Margin Maps to support real-time exploration data management.
The platform is currently used for various operational needs, ranging from regional mapping and drilling monitoring to grade control across Merdeka Group’s mining operations. “The open-source approach provides greater flexibility in workflow development and data integration. The system also helps improve cross-site collaboration and reduce dependence on manual processes,” Diki added.
Through its participation in Indonesia Miner 2026, Merdeka Group continues to support the development of a more integrated, adaptive, and innovation-driven mining industry. The presentations from both speakers demonstrated how the transformation of the mining industry is shaped not only by production capacity, but also by the ability to manage technology, data, and collaboration effectively.
