Catch-up on MMD’s cover story and more from GMR July 2025 – Montree Pichayathana, MMD Group, Thailand, studies how MMD Thailand is driving long-term success in Lao People's Democratic Republic.
With over a decade of continuous contribution, MMD Thailand has not only supplied essential sizing technology, but has also helped set a new standard for operational reliability, technical partnership, and sustainable mining practices. The company’s enduring role in one of the region’s most ambitious energy projects reflects both the strength of its technology and its deep commitment to long-term performance.
A strategic partnership begins
Between 2010 and 2012, the biggest lignite mine in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) was developing what would become the largest lignite-fired power plant in Lao PDR, facility crucial to meeting the rising energy demands of both Laos and neighbouring Thailand. However, the project’s success hinged on overcoming the limitations of local lignite resources, which were less efficient than imported coal due to their lower heating value.
The project team initially leaned towards sourcing its entire heavy equipment package from a single supplier, to simplify logistics and reduce integration risks. However, MMD Thailand proposed a more focused and flexible approach. Leveraging its global reputation and proven technology in coal and ore sizing, MMD introduced the Semi-Mobile Sizing Station – a modular and reliable solution for handling both overburden and lignite material directly at the mine site. It was an unconventional proposal – one that required trust, technical validation, and strong collaboration to move forward.
Tailored solutions for a complex project
MMD Thailand’s proposed system included nine Semi-Mobile Sizing Stations – five designed for processing overburden and four for lignite. These units were custom-engineered to handle massive throughput, with processing total capacities of 22 500 tph for overburden and 6000 tph for lignite. This setup was not only built to handle the unique composition of the reserves, but also to align with its operational strategy of integrating mine-mouth electricity generation.
A major strength of the solution was its ability to reduce transportation requirements by enabling in-pit material sizing. By processing material close to the mine face, the system significantly reduced the need for long-haul trucking – traditionally a high-cost, high-emission aspect of mining operations. The benefits were multifaceted:
- Reduced fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance.
- Fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
- Less wear and tear on haul roads and infrastructure.
- Increased overall material handling efficiency.
This ‘mine-to-plant’ efficiency was critical for ensuring the long-term viability of the power station, which supplies a significant portion of its output to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT).
Overcoming procurement challenges
Despite the technical strengths of the proposal, MMD Thailand had to overcome several procurement-related hurdles. At the time, the customer selected heavy machinery from a limited number of vendors to streamline integration and reduce potential risks. MMD, which specialised in niche material sizing technology, needed to earn the confidence of stakeholders who were hesitant to divide the equipment packages.
As a specialised supplier focusing on material sizing, MMD had to convince stakeholders that integrating their system into a broader plant ecosystem would not complicate the project, but rather enhance it. The MMD team engaged in ongoing technical dialogue, provided in-depth engineering support, conducted detailed feasibility studies, and refined its proposals to address every concern. By focusing on transparency, responsiveness, and deep technical alignment, MMD Thailand gradually demonstrated that its Semi-Mobile Sizing Stations were not only compatible with the broader project architecture, but essential to it.
Eventually, the customer recognised MMD’s competencies in material sizing technology, and in 2012, MMD Thailand was officially selected as the preferred supplier for this critical component of the plant’s mining infrastructure.
Thank you for enjoying this abridged article. Read the article in full and much more from the July 2025 issue of Global Mining Review here: https://bit.ly/4lLi522