Yogyakarta, 4 May 2024 – PT Agincourt Resources, the operator of Martabe Gold Mine, announced that wARrior Hornblende from Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) as the champion of the 2024 Olympiad of Agincourt Resources (OlympiAR) won a cash prize of IDR 50 million and an opportunity to do an internship for 3 months at Martabe Gold Mine. This winning marked the culmination of a fierce competition involving more than six hundred students from many universities in Indonesia.
The comprehensive and innovative presentation of Hornblende team successfully won the heart of the judges, who are industry and academic experts, in the final round and the announcement and presentation of the winners of the 2024 Olympiar, at Wisma Kagama, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Yogyakarta, Sabtu (4/5).
“We are very impressed with the quality of all finalists, but Hornblende team demonstrated excellent understanding and mature approach in responding to the challenges we presented,” said Ruli Tanio, the Vice President Director of Agincourt Resources.
The second place was won by Magnesite team from Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, with a cash prize of IDR 30 million. Petalite team from ITB secured the third place and was entitled to a cash prize of IDR 20 million. Meanwhile, the fourth place was taken by Pyrite team from UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta, and the fifth place was clinched by Ulexite team from Institut Teknologi Negeri Yogyakarta (ITNY). The two teams respectively took home cash valued IDR 7.5 million. Apart from the finalists, all teams participated in the first round also received souvenirs for their participation in the 2024 OlympiAR.
In his speech, Ruli expressed his appreciation to all participants for their best efforts. “OlympiAR is not only about winning a competition, but it is more about learning, growing, and preparing future leaders in a sustainable mining industry,” he said.
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Meanwhile, the Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, in his speech delivered by the Expert Staff of DIY Governor in Economy and Development, Dr. Ir. Kuncoro Cahyo Aji, M.Si., also congratulated the winners of the 2024 OlympiAR. He stated that this victory showed the extraordinary capabilities and competencies of the students, and may serve as a stepping stone to future success.
Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X also stated that OlympiAR is concrete evidence of Agincourt Resources’ commitment to education in supporting economic and social growth in Indonesia.
“We appreciate Agincourt Resources and all parties involved. Thank you for being part of shaping a quality generation,” he said.
Appreciation was also expressed by the Director of Mineral Business Development at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Dr. Ing. Tri Winarno, S.T., M.T. According to him, OlympiAR can bridge students in combining mining theory learned in lectures with practical fieldwork, creating a link and match between industry and education.
“There are several commodities in Indonesia predicted to be depleted by 2045. We must be prepared to face this challenge, one of which is by continuously innovating in sustainable mining practices. OlympiAR can be one of the platforms to address this challenge,” he explained.
OlympiAR is an Agincourt Resources’ initiative to encourage innovation and knowledge in the field of sustainable mining. This competition facilitates students to explore and offer practical solutions regarding advanced exploration designs, metallurgical and processing concepts, as well as the environmental impacts of mining activities. In this second event, Agincourt Resources carried the theme “Harmony in the Elements, Navigating Sustainable Mining Practice”, collaborating with the Indonesian Economic Geological Society (MGEI).
OlympiAR is part of Agincourt Resources’ E-Coaching Jam (ECJ). Held for a decade, ECJ has facilitated communication for more than 5,000 students across Indonesia with dozens of experts from various fields, ranging from mining, geology, environmental studies, communication, business, to labor and gender diversity.
The event was attended by university officials, academic communities, as well as government officials, all of whom provided support and appreciation to the finalists.
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Katarina Siburian Hardono, Senior Manager Corporate Communications at Agincourt Resources, expressed her excitement about the significant increase in the number of applicants this year, indicating the great interest and dedication of Indonesian students to the mining industry and sustainability.
“We are proud to see a drastic 290% increase in the number of registrations and the quality of participants in OlympiAR this year. This shows the strong desire of Indonesia’s younger generation to contribute to the sustainable and ethical mining industry,” said Katarina.
The 2024 OlympiAR did not only mark an important achievement in PT Agincourt Resources’ efforts to support human resource development in the mining industry, but also reaffirmed the company’s commitment to promoting innovation and sustainability.
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Simultaneously with the Awarding of OlympiAR Winners, PTAR held an ECJ with the theme “Martabe Gold Mine: A Benchmark for Excellence in Indonesian Mining” featuring Expert Coach Mika Purba who is the Mining Manager of Agincourt Resources, moderated by Exploration Geologist from Geo Fix Indonesia Adi Sulaksono.