Japan to help Indonesia develop underground mining operation<\/p>\n
Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Japan Coal Energy Center (JCOAL) agreed on Thursday to
\nprovide technical assistance to state-owned coal mining firm PT
\nTambang Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA) in carrying out deep mining at
\nthe latter's Ombilin site, West Sumatra.<\/p>\n
The agreement was contained in a memorandum of understanding
\nsigned by the presidents of the two institutions and Director
\nGeneral for Geology and Mining Wimpy S. Tjetjep.<\/p>\n
This should help resolve the problems faced by mining
\ncompanies here, which have been banned from carrying out opencast
\nmining in protected forest on the grounds that such a method
\nwould damage the environment.<\/p>\n
\"Law No. 41\/1999 has banned opencast mining, but deep mining
\ncould provide a breakthrough,\" Wimpy said after the signing
\nceremony.<\/p>\n
\"Japan has cutting-edge technology in deep mining ... so it
\nwill represent a transfer of technology,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"With our technology, we'll try to exploit the (Ombilin coal)
\npotential without damaging the environment. Mining at Ombilin is
\nexpected to become a model for coal mining in Indonesia,\" JCOAL
\npresident Katsuyoshi Ando said.<\/p>\n
Ando pledged JCOAL would continue to provide technological
\nassistance to Indonesia, considering the importance of Indonesian
\ncoal.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesian coal has become famous as environmentally friendly
\ncoal, the most sought-after coal in the Asia region,\" Ando said.<\/p>\n
The government applied the ban on opencast mining in a bid to
\nsave the country's protected forest from serious damage.<\/p>\n
But mining companies have slammed the ruling and said it has
\nprevented exploitation of the country's rich mineral resources.
\nThey also argued the law would further scare investors away from
\nthe mining industry, which has been in the doldrums for the past
\nfew years.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, PTBA operational director Sukrisno said the Ombilin
\nMining unit was in a transition from an opencast operation to
\ndeep mining. It has three sites.<\/p>\n
At present only Ombilin 1 employs deep mining, which has
\nproduced some 1,700 tons of coal.<\/p>\n
\"Hopefully, Ombilin 2 and 3 will follow,\" Sukrisno said,
\nadding that the unit was set to produce some 70,000 tons of coal
\nthis year. Next year, the unit expects to produce some 200,000
\ntons.<\/p>\n
A study between JCOAL and PTBA has also revealed that the
\nOmbilin unit has potential coal reserves of 200 million tons.<\/p>\n
The technical cooperation with JCOAL also includes research to
\nprevent spontaneous combustion, preparation of coal and
\ntransportation technology at the mine site.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/japan-to-help-indonesia-develop-underground-mining-operation-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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