A coffee with… Ahmad Basyar, Senior Project Geologist in Indonesia

Ahmad Basyar is Seequent’s first Indonesia-based team member. Basyar joins us as a Senior Project Geologist, bringing his extensive experience across the mining sector, deep geological knowledge and passion for supporting the local geoscience community.

We sat down with Basyar to learn more about his passion for advancing geoscience in Indonesia and what drove him to take on this exciting new journey with Seequent.

Welcome, Basyar! Could you tell us a bit about your background and what drew you to geology?

I undertook my bachelor’s degree of Geological Engineering at the Institut Teknologi Bandung after being fascinated by the dinosaurs and exotic minerals like amethyst and almandine that were on display in the campus Geology Museum. During my degree, I learnt a lot about mineral resource exploration, especially for commodities like gold and nickel.

After graduating, I started my career at PT J Resources Nusantara, working on various gold and copper greenfield exploration projects. These projects ranged from stream sediment panning to advanced exploration and resources development activities, which included asset rating and ranking. I then moved to PT Geo Fix Indonesia, where I focused on resources modelling and geostatistics for a range of mining projects.

I have been fortunate to have my career shaped and guided by expert mining professionals and resource geologists both locally in Indonesia, but also abroad from Australia. Their mentorship has helped me to develop a strong skills set in geological modelling and geostatistics, and these are skills for a strong understanding of the earth and effective resource management.

Seequent Senior Project Geologist Ahmad Basyar

You’ve joined Seequent as our first hire in Indonesia, based in our Jakarta office. What inspired you to take on this role?

I believe it is important to introduce software solutions and workflows that have helped revolutionise the mining industry in countries like Australia and Canada, to the local mining and geoscience communities in Indonesia. By advancing the data management, modelling and estimation processes here, we can achieve a better understanding of our local ore bodies and resource targeting and support the digital transformation of mining workflows in Indonesia.

In my own career, I’ve found lots of value in using Seequent products on my projects. As an example, I worked on an Epithermal deposit where we employed 3D modelling using Leapfrog, and this helped us to identify additional resources and reserves. I’m excited to be able to help our customers do the same now that I’ve joined the team at Seequent.

We have a great set of tools available at Seequent, but the product I’m most excited be working with is Leapfrog. Leapfrog has revolutionised geological modelling and set the standard in the industry because of how intuitive it is for geologists to build accurate models and rapidly test hypotheses. The Leapfrog Edge extension adds more value by bringing resource estimation workflows into the modelling process, making it easier to understand a deposit and make accurate and robust estimates and decisions. I’m really looking forward to being a part of driving Leapfrog and Edge usage in Indonesia, there is so much value that it can bring, and we are just scratching the surface.

I can also see huge gains to be made in using tools like Imago for geoscience images and MX Deposit for drilling data and being able to incorporate this into geological modelling workflows in Indonesia. I’m looking forward to seeing how the new launch of Seequent Evo will help push what’s possible in this space even further by transforming how geoscience teams can collaborate and innovate by bringing all of this together into one place. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the team!

In your perspective, what are some of the key trends shaping the Indonesian mining and geology sector right now?

There is a global trend towards a greener economy and clean energy, and Indonesia is set to play a pivotal role in this as a major supplier of nickel and other battery minerals. Demand for these resources is expected to grow rapidly over the next decade to support the electric vehicle industry and broader decarbonisation efforts.

The Indonesian mining industry is also looking to increase its focus on reporting standards and transparency through the KCMI code. Both of those trends are driving the need for more efficient and advanced geological modelling software, which will help the industry to remain competitive. Locally, there is a growing movement toward sustainability and integrating environmental considerations into projects, and having the tools to work collaboratively will be key in helping to make. This possible.

We’re also seeing a huge emphasis on uplifting the professional capabilities of local geoscientists in the industry in response to these big industry shifts. Organisations like IAGI and MGEI are strongly committed to developing geoscientist’s skills to a higher level, whether at the professional or student level. Through my time volunteering with IAGI, I’ve had exposure to how they are upskilling the next generation in Indonesia, whether its running workshops, sharing exploration best practices or helping students or professionals to embrace newer technologies like Leapfrog Geo. This commitment to advancing the geoscience community will help to ensure Indonesia remains competitive and ready to meet future challenges.

How do you see Seequent’s solutions making a difference for geologists and mining professionals here in Indonesia?

Seequent solutions are game changers for geoscientists and are leaders in the market. Leapfrog Geo, for example, has intuitive and fast 3D modelling capabilities, saving time and improving geological confidence. The ease of integrating multiple datasets (such as drilling, geochemistry, geophysics, and structural observations) with powerful visualisation capabilities, helps build better models to inform exploration and mining decisions. These 3D models also make it easier to clearly communicate geology to stakeholders and decision makers on a project.

Having people in a Jakarta office will make it easier to connect with our customers face to face for training and networking opportunities. As a native Bahasa speaker, I’m looking forward to supporting local geologists to access leading tools and build confidence in their workflows. With Seequent now having a presence in Indonesia, we can deliver local training and technical support in Bahasa Indonesian, making it easier for local geologists to learn and build confidence in their workflows.

Supporting others is a big part of your new role. What motivates you when it comes to helping other geologists succeed?

Sharing knowledge and mentoring others in the industry is something I find deeply rewarding. Seeing colleagues and customers gain confidence, not only in how they operate the software, but also understanding their projects better, making new discoveries, or building better quality models, is one of the greatest motivations for me in this role.

Mentoring and guiding customers through their real industry challenges also helps me grow and expand my own knowledge and experience to solve problems within the industry. As the saying goes, in learning you will teach, and in teaching, you will learn.

We’re thrilled to have Basyar onboard to help empower Indonesian geologists with local expertise and world-class solutions. Welcome to the Seequent team.

Connect with Basyar on LinkedIn here.

Don’t miss the chance to join Basyar’s first Leapfrog Geo Fundamentals training delivered in Bahasa Indonesia this September. Register here.

Basyar holds a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering from Institut Teknologi Bandung, and has extensive professional experience across exploration, resource geology, and mineral resource estimation in Indonesia’s mining industry. Prior to joining Seequent, he worked as a Resource Geologist at PT Geo Fix Indonesia and as an Exploration Geologist with J Resources, where he specialised in geological modelling, geostatistics, and multi-disciplinary project delivery across gold and base metal projects. He currently volunteers at Ikatan Ahli Geologi Indonesia (IAGI) as the divisional head, supporting geology students to reach their potential, and has previously served as Deputy Head of Science and Technology at Masyarakat Geologi Ekonomi Indonesia (MGEI). Basyar is passionate about enabling geologists to make faster, more confident decisions through the application of advanced geoscience software and integrated workflows.