PTBA finds 230 million tons of new coal reserves<\/p>\n
A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
State owned coal miner PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA) has
\ndiscovered more than 230 million tons of coal reserves in South
\nSumatra's East Kungkilan area.<\/p>\n
The publicly-listed company said on Friday that the discovery
\nraised its total coal reserves by 3 percent to 7.3 billion tons
\nfrom 7.1 billion tons.<\/p>\n
\"With the new find, our company has a greater leverage to
\nincrease coal exports,\" PTBA president Ismeth Harmaini said in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Currently, the company produces an average of about 10 million
\ntons of coal per year. Part of the output is exported, while the
\nremainder is sold at home, including to state electricity company
\nPLN.<\/p>\n
Data on coal exports was not available.<\/p>\n
Ismeth said it was currently expanding its export market to
\ninclude Malaysia and Spain which, respectively, need one and two
\nmillion tons of coal per year.<\/p>\n
Japan is one of the world's biggest importers of coal,
\nimporting 120 million tons each year.<\/p>\n
Ismeth said Indonesia exported 18 million tons of coal each
\nyear to Japan, of which some 300,000 tons were supplied by PTBA.
\n\"Japan offers huge opportunities for coal exports,\" said Ismeth.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Wimpie S. Tjetjep, the director general for geology
\nand mineral resources at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral
\nResources, said the new find was made possible by technical
\nassistance given by the Japan-based New Energy and Industrial
\nTechnology Development Organization (NEDO).<\/p>\n
The assistance was made available through a grant by the
\nJapanese government. \"The grant is not binding,\" said Wimpie.<\/p>\n
However, an official at the ministry has said that Japan was
\ninterested in assisting PTBA find more coal reserves, to ensure a
\nsufficient supply of coal to Japan.<\/p>\n
After the new finding, PTBA and NEDO will explore more fields
\nthat are suspected of having coal reserves, especially in the
\nBunian Sukamerindu field in South Sumatra.<\/p>\n
From a preliminary survey, it has been learned that the field
\nmight have some 100 million tons of coal reserves.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ptba-finds-230-million-tons-of-new-coal-reserves-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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