Prima Coal to raise its production<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): PT Kaltim Prima Coal, jointly owned by the
\nBritish Petroleum Company and CRA Limited of Australia, will
\nincrease its annual coal production to 22 million tons in 1998.<\/p>\n
"We'll be expanding gradually. This year, we plan to produce
\n11.5 million tons, next year 15 million tons and in 1998, 22
\nmillion tons," said Keith Gregory, a director of the foreign
\nmining company in Tenggarong, East Kalimantan yesterday.<\/p>\n
Kaltim Prima Coal produced 10.1 million tons in 1995.<\/p>\n
The company, which started commercial production in 1992,
\noperates a major coal mine in East Kalimantan and is licensed by
\nthe government to operate in the area for 30 years.<\/p>\n
PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam, a state-owned company assigned
\nby the government to control coal mining in Indonesia, requires
\nthat Kaltim Prima Coal divest at least 15 percent of its equity
\nto local investors this year.<\/p>\n
According to Gregory, the company, which at present operates
\nonly one mine in the area, will expand operations to include
\nKutai district, East Kalimantan, said to have a proven coal
\nreserve of 550 million tons.<\/p>\n
"Coal mining has bright future prospects as the world
\nwitnesses an increase in the use of coal in industries," Gregory
\nwas quoted by Antara as saying in Tenggarong.<\/p>\n
He did not mention the amount of investment needed for the
\nexpansion or how his company will obtain it.<\/p>\n
He said that the coal output of Kaltim Prima Coal is wholly
\nexported to Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, the United States and
\nEuropean countries.<\/p>\n
Last year, Kaltim Prima Coal exported 10.07 million tons of
\ncoal worth US$342.25 million, 28.6 percent of which went to
\nJapan, 28 percent to Taiwan, 17.7 percent to European countries,
\n9.6 percent to Hong Kong, 9.2 percent to the United States and
\nthe rest to other members of the Association of Southeast Asian
\nNations (ASEAN), which groups Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, the
\nPhilippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
The company's production is approximately one-fourth of
\nIndonesia's total coal output, while its exports contribute to
\nabout a half of the country's total coal exports. The remaining
\nhalf comes from several other companies.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, which is estimated to have total proven coal
\nreserves of 36 billion tons, produced 40.9 million tons of coal
\nlast year. (13)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prima-coal-to-raise-its-production-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}