Yogyakarta, 2 April 2023 – PT Agincourt Resources (PTAR) , the operator of Martabe Gold Mine, announced the winners of the 2022 Olympiad of Agincourt Resources (OlympiAR), a competition for college students majoring in mining, geology, and engineering at the national level. The Magsite Team from Universitas Diponegoro successfully won first place in the 2022 OlympiAR so they were entitled to take home a cash prize of Rp 50 million and the opportunity for doing an internship for 3 months at Martabe Gold Mine.
The Sylvite team from Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) won second place, and they were entitled to a cash prize of Rp30 million. Meanwhile, the Enargite team from UPN Veteran Yogyakarta won third place and was entitled to take home a cash prize of Rp20 million. The fourth position was occupied by the Niccolite team from ITB, while the fifth place was occupied by the Vermiculite team from Universitas Jenderal Soedirman. These two teams won respective prizes of Rp5 million.
The final round, announcement, and award ceremony of the 2022 OlympiAR winners were held in Yogyakarta on 1 April 2023. At the first OlympiAR event themed, “Mineral Discovery, Unearthing Sustainable Future,” PTAR collaborated with the Indonesian Society of Economic Geologists (Masyarakat Geologi Ekonomi Indonesia or “MGEI”).
The Vice President Director of PT Agincourt Resources, Ruli Tanio, congratulated all winners of the 2022 OlympiAR who had persistently fought from the first round started in January 2023 to the final round at the end of March 2023.
“Congratulations to the winners of the 2022 OlympiAR who have participated in all rounds and a series of assessments from the judges that consisted of academicians and mineral mining experts. We also highly appreciate 72 teams from various universities in Indonesia, from Sumatra Island, Java Island, to Papua Land, who participated in the 2022 OlympiAR,” Ruli said.
In his opinion, OlympiAR which will be held once every two years is a form of PTAR’s commitment to creating a young generation of achievers who contribute to the application of the sustainable mining concept in Indonesia. This is in line with PTAR’s commitment to implementing sustainable mining practices that are environmentally sound and socially responsible.
Not only is it the medium for college students to learn and develop their knowledge in the mining sector, but OlympiAR is also a facility for college students to develop soft skills, such as skills of problem solving, critical thinking, team management, discipline, and positive behavior. OlympiAR hopefully can help college students be ready to enter the world of work.
“We continue to make the effort to strengthen and encourage the education progress in Indonesia because we believe, education is the key to accelerating the economic growth, strengthening human resource quality, and reducing the poverty rate,” Ruli said.
When OlympiAR is intended for college students throughout Indonesia, at the middle and secondary education levels PTAR holds a Science Olympiad for Teachers and Students at the Junior High School/equivalent and Senior High School/equivalent Levels throughout South Tapanuli District, participated by 563 people. In addition, PTAR contributes to supporting facilities and infrastructures in SMKN 2 Batangtoru which is the first vocational school with a focus on mining education in North Sumatra.
PTAR has also a Scholarship Program of Martabe Prestasi, namely a program to provide education assistance and scholarship to outstanding students from elementary to university levels from underprivileged families in the areas of Batangtoru and Muara Batangtoru Subdistricts, South Tapanuli. From 2017 to 2022 PTAR donated a fund of Rp5.54 billion to 1,255 beneficiaries.
Senior Manager of Corporate Communications of PT Agincourt Resources, Katarina Siburian Hardono, explained that since the 2022 OlympiAR was socialized in November 2022 and inaugurated on 17 December 2022, 223 college students from 26 universities in Indonesia participated in this competition, among others Universitas Syiah Kuala, Universitas Bangka Belitung, Universitas Teknologi Sumatera, Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Universitas Diponegoro, Universitas Muhammadiyah Mataram, and Universitas Hasanuddin.
“It proves that the spirit and enthusiasm of the college students participating in the 2022 OlympiAR are high. The ideas they produce are in line with the sustainable topic in mining, and have been tested by academicians and practitioners, are also outstanding,” Katarina said.
Of the 72 teams meeting the requirements to participate in the OlympiAR, 55 teams passed the first round. Based on the assessment result, out of the top 20, only 14 teams successfully passed the presentation stage. Eventually, 5 teams were filtered to the final round. At this final round, the finalists validated the data, analyzed exploration data, created a mineralized wireframethat correlated with the geological data, and designed the proposed drilling plan until they prepared postmining essays.
Katarina added that OlympiAR is part of the E-Coaching Jam (ECJ) Program, namely a discussion forum and various practical knowledge among experts, practitioners, and college students online and offline. Since the first event was started in 2014, up to now ECJ has bridged discussions with more than 45 mining experts and more than 3,500 college students in Indonesia.
“Through ECJ, we try to stimulate the development of science and knowledge about mining and facilitate quality improvement of academicians and students, through an idea exchange, the latest research, and the latest cases, so that the college students are more confident and ready to enter the mining industry,” she said.
Together with the Award Ceremony of the OlympiAR Winners, PTAR held ECJ themed “Rock Your Way to Becoming a Professional Miner” and presented the Expert Coach Janjan Hertrijana as the Principal Geologist of PTAR, moderated by a Lecturer of Geology Engineering Department of UGM, Arifudin Idrus. The ECJ this time was filled by around 200 college students from various universities in Java Island.
Additional Statements
Chairman of MGEI, STJ Budi Santoso
“Thank you to lecturers who have prepared their outstanding students. The capacity and ability of the students to learn are high, way better than in previous generations. We are really optimist through an event like this, you get a suitable place, enough and fair opportunities to actualize yourself to become professionals in the future.”
Deputy Head of Agency of Education, Youth, and Sports, DIY Province, Suhirman
“OlympiAR is clear evidence of PTAR’s commitment to supporting the economic and social growth in Indonesia through education and competence development in the mining sector. The theme raised, namely “Mineral Discovery, Unearthing Sustainable Future,” is really relevant to the existing order in the mining industry in Indonesia currently.”
Rector of UPN Veteran Yogyakarta, Prof. Dr. Mohamad Irhas Effendi, M. Si
“We hope in the future PTAR can develop the competition or olympiad that can guarantee sustainability in mining sites in Indonesia. We will continue to support the collaboration between the industry and universities in improving competence and professionalism, so that after college students graduate, they can be absorbed in the workforce.”
The Magsite Team – Universitas Diponegoro
“Hopefully, this event can be held every year. By participating in OlympiAR, we are challenged to hone the knowledge that we get on campus and bring it to the mining practices. We hope that mining in Indonesia continues to sustain with the clean and healthy mining application.”
