Arutmin increases coal export

JAKARTA: The country's third largest coal producer PT Arutmin Indonesia said on Wednesday that it was targeting to export 18 million metric tons of coal this year, up from 14 million metric tons last year.

The company said in a press statement that most of the coal would be shipped to Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand, the Philippines, South Korea, Chile, Britain, Italy and Switzerland.

The company, which has three coal mining sites in South Kalimantan, has projected production this year to reach at least 14.5 million tons.

Arutmin is owned by publicly listed mining company PT Bumi Resources. Bumi acquired Arutmin from Australian mining company BHP Billiton about three years ago.

According to the Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI), the country's coal production in 2004 is estimated at around 119.7 million tons, up from 109.3 tons in 2003 and 103 million tons in 2002. --JP