규조토 광산
LOCATION MAP OF DIATOMITE LOT
CURRENT STATUS OF EXPLORATION PERMITS
A. Location
1. South Jailolo, West Halmahera, North Maluku, Indonesia
B. Mining Concession
1. Exploitation Permit Holder: PT. KNI GLOBAL CO., LTD.
2. Acquisition Date: July 9, 2012
C. Overview of DE Exploitation Permit Site
GEOLOGICAL AND ORE DEPOSIT
A. Geological Features
Lower Miocene, the Tertiary Period of the Cenozoic Era: Sedimentation of Weda Formation
B. Ore Deposit
Lacustrine DE deposit
GRADE AND RESERVES
A. Grade
Average grade : 93 % of SiO₂
B. Reserves
Possible Reserves: 262,200,000 ton (Recoverable Reserves: 110,124,000 ton)
BUSINESS PROSPECTS
1. Probable reserves of DE worldwide is estimated to be approximately one billion tons; however, high grade of DE ore reserves is relatively small and gradually depleted.
2. DE is used for main and subsidiary material for filter aids, fillers, absorbents, brighteners, thermal insulators, etc. Overall, DE has around 700 usages. According to the development of industries, it has become more useful and widely used for manufacturing cosmetic products, biochemical purposes of extractant and medical goods, etc. Recently, DE has been also utilized for eco-friendly paint and tires, fillers, functional construction materials, and new ceramics.
3. The traditional manufacturing method, using silica stone and silica sand, needs huge investment because this mineral business belongs to the process industry and also its manufacturing processes are quite complicated with very high production cost. But if we use DE to produce high purity silica, the cost will be sharply reduced. The related research, in cooperation with Japanese researchers, has been showing some results and in comparison to high purity silica from silica stone, the DE-based metal silicon may cut down the production cost by half.
4. According to experts’ opinions, DE from our Indonesian mine is highly suitable for producing high purity silica and amorphous polysilicon, due to the significantly low boron and phosphorus contents, based on the fact that it is formed in fresh water and contains average 93% of SiO₂. This gives us a competitive edge against others, particularly, in the aforementioned eco-friendly paint and tires, fillers, functional construction materials, and new ceramics.
5. Through future success in developing high value-added products making the most of our best quality DE, which is available for more than thousand years maximum, and excellent infrastructure on West Halmahera county, North Maluku province of Eastern Indonesia, we will bring the prosperity and economic progress of the concerned region in Indonesia. We expect that our DE will be positioned as a strategic mineral in Korea and contribute to the further development of Korean economy and the acquisition of foreign currencies.