On Friday, March 03rd, 2017, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional (UPN) “Veteran” Yogyakarta held a press meeting. Public Relation Officer of UNPVY invited the media, both print and electronic media, in Yogyakarta region. The press meeting was aimed at presenting the new 3 educational products (study programs or prodi) to be opened for the 2017/2018 academic year. The new study programs informed to the media include Metallurgy Engineering from the Faculty of Minerals, Information Study Program from the Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Geology Science form the Faculty of Agriculture. The press meeting was held in the Transit Room of the Rector’s Building, on the ground floor. Dr. Mohamad Irhas Effendi, M.S., Deputy Rector Commissioning Academic Affairs opened the press meeting. The key speaker of this press meeting was Ir. Anton Sudiyanto, MT, who told the journalists that:

Indonesia is a country rich in mineral and mining materials, with the dispersion covering almost all of the country’s territory. However, these mining materials owned by Indonesia cannot directly be enjoyed by the public because they must first be mined and processed to obtain the pure metal.

Law Number 4 of 2009 on Mineral and Coal Mining requires that the mining materials and mineral must be processed and purified domestically to create the added value of the same before being exported abroad.

Metallurgy is a science and technology dealing with the extraction of metal from the ores (minerals containing metal) purify the metal and prepare to produce alloys.

Based on the definitions state above, the meaning of metallurgy includes:

1. The separation of the valuable minerals from the polluting minerals (mineral processing) in the ores generated from the mining to be technically and economically extracted. Included in the mineral processing is coal extraction.
2. The extraction of the valuable metals, such and gold, silver, lead, copper, aluminum or alloys like nickel matte and ferro-nickel and the purification (Refining). Included in this extraction process is the making of alumina (AL2)3) from bauxite ores as well as the recycle of waste containing metals.
3. Compounds of metal with other elements (alloying) which forms alloys, for example, various types of steel, cast iron, aluminum alloys, brass and nickel alloys.
4. Forming or shaping metals, such as (rolling steel products into plates) and refinement of micro structure of alloys through heat treatment to obtain the desired properties in the application (preparing them for use). Included in this category are casting, welding metallurgy, and powder metallurgy.
5. Modification of micro structure to obtain the properties of the metals and their alloys, for example the effect of carbide on the tensile strength and corrosion-resistant steel.

Based on the definitions of metallurgy described above, it is clear that the spectrum of activities engaged in metallurgy is very broad, starting those existing in the upstream, the industries adjacent to mining sites, like the activities of PT. Freeport and PT. Amman Nusa Tenggara Mineral and the melting of lead at PT. Timah, the production nickel matte by PT. Vale and Ferronickel by PT. Antam and gold processing at Pongkor. Then the activities existing between the upstream and downstream, such as those carried out at PT. Krakatau Steel and the steel melting and metalcasting of PT. Smelting. As for the activities existing near the users (downstream), are those casting industries and metal-shaping industry widely scattered in automotive industry and machinery industry.

It is clearly visible that metallurgy has very important roles in creating mining materials into ready-for-use products and finally into end products. In general, Metallurgy is divided into three aspects:

1. Mineral and Coal Processing
2. Extractive Metallurgy; and
3. Mechanical Metallurgy.

What is studied In Mineral and Coal Processing Metallurgy is the knowledge underlying the metal-separating processes of valuable metals from the polluting metals, based on the physical or chemical properties among the minerals contained in the ores. Extractive Metallurgy is more closely related to the extraction of metals from the concentrates or ore and the purification of the metal to become metals ready to be formed into alloys. The extraction of metal compounds using the electro dissolving or depositing method is known as hydro-metallurgy and electro-metallurgy and the extraction using conditions at high temperatures is known as piro-metallurgy.

Human civilization advances are determined, inter alia, by humans’ mastery of metals to meet their needs. Consequently, the needs for metals and alloys are expected to increase in the future.

Realizing that humans are high dependent on metal materials and mineral industry, it is understandable that the utilization of metal materials require conservation-oriented and added valued-generating concepts, although recycling has been carried out almost its maximum point, but in order to be able to be practically used in daily life the recycled materials must be processed and this takes such a long time.

It is obvious that in order to respond to the challenges in the future, we must prepare professional metallurgists, as one of the ways to do so. Education in metallurgy must be directed to respond to the national challenges to prepare specialists who will be able to process and extract metals from ores, to purify and combine them and to empower industrial mineral potentials so as to improve our national competitiveness, sustainability and public welfare.

There are now 40 universities or equivalents provide mining engineering and only 6 universities offer metallurgy engineering. These six universities are ITB, UI, ITS, Untirta, Unjani and Institut Teknologi Bekasi. Of these 6 universities providing metallurgy engineering, only ITB, UI and Untirta perform metallurgy engineering thoroughly – from the processing of mining materials, extractive metallurgy and physical metallurgy ; ITS, Unjani and Institut Teknologi Bekasi only focus on physical metallurgy.

Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Yogyakarta already has Mining Engineering of the Faculty of Mineral Technology (Jurusan Teknik Pertambangan – Fakultas Teknologi Mineral) and Chemical Engineering of the Faculty of Industrial Technology (Jurusan Teknik Kimia - Facultas Teknologi Industri), with these study programs, we are ready to establish Metallurgy Engineering Study Program.

The speaker Hery Sofyan M.T M.Kom, as the Head of the Information System Study Program, says that Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Yogyakarta opens an S-1 (bachelor degree) Information System study program for the 2017 student admission selection. This bypass has made UNPVY the only state university in Yogyakarta that has Information System study program.

With the opening Information System study program, we respond to the public needs or requirements with regard to human resources having knowledge and competence in utilizing data and information on different aspects to develop an alternative information system solution to settle organizational problems. The curriculum of Information System study program will focus on the competence of the students to integrate information technology and managerial activities with the hope to create anGeological Information System. The typical characteristic of our curriculum differentiates UNP “Veteran” Yogyakarta’s Information System study program with the same program offered by any other campuses/universities. UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta’s Information System curriculum is designed to provide competence strengthening and the mastery of functional management of information, mastery of various tools, and the development of geological application. With such educational environment oriented on competence and curriculum uniqueness, UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta’s Information System Study Program is expected to generate qualified graduates building careers in oil companies, mining industry, geological industries, public services  and in any other field related to data and information management.

Dr. Ir. Susila Herlambang, the Head of Geological Sciences, in his press meeting said that Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Yogyakarta has revitalized and reactivated Geological Sciences Study Programs. The superiority of UPN “Veteran” Yogyakarta’s Geological Sciences will support in solving geological issues (the treatment of defunct mining sites, geology, water pollution and oil for agriculture), this competitiveness becomes the differentiating factor from the geological study program conducted by other universitiesin Indonesia. The Geological Sciences has been conducted at UPN”Veteran” Yogyakarta since its establishment in 1985/1986 academic year. The Geological Sciences was accredited for the first time in in 1998 by the National Board of Higher Education Accreditation (Badan Akreditasi Nasional Perguruan Tinggi) (BAN –PT), receiving a Grade A Accreditation.  The second accreditation was made in 2003, in which the study program received a Grade B Accreditation ; with the score : 351, under the Decree of BAN-PTN Number: 030/BAN-PT/Ak-VII/S1/IX/2003, dated September 19th, 2003.

The third accreditation, conducted in 2008. We received a Grade A Accreditation, with the score 364, under the decree of BAN-PTN Number : 016/BAN-PT/Ak-XI/S1/VIII/2008, dated August 3rd, 2008, valid until August 2013. The Geological Sciences study program at UPNVY was revived and approved and given a license to be reopened in virtue of the Decree of the Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education Number 186/KPT/I/2015, dated December 11th, 2015. 

The reactivated Geological Sciences is concentrated in site reclamation and geographical information system. This applied science should be considered to be the focused main subject for the handling and identification of post-mining land damages and the land restoration for agriculture. Additionally, this Geological Sciences study program is also focused on the Implementation of Geographical Information System (Indonesian abbreviation GIS) for agriculture and regional expansions, including surveys and topography, the study of damages to the bio-mass productive land (PP 150), Geographical Information System for studies of sustainable agricultural land, Geographical Information System for studies Detailed Spatial and Areal Plans (Rencana Tata Ruang dan Wilayah), Geographical Information System for studies of strategic ecology (policy-plan and program) and Geographical Information System for studies crop-compatibility cultivated land. Further information on our study program of Geological Studies can be accessed via: http://ilmutanah.upnyk.ac.id