Further studies of Danish coal technology urged
Further studies of Danish coal technology urged
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto has called for a further studies of Danish technology for clearing coal from its' sulfur content with a view to expanding the use of coal in the country.
Speaking at a presentation of Indonesia's geological map yesterday, the President recounted his recent meeting the visiting Danish minister of the environment, Sven Auken, who told him that sulfur content, which causes air pollution, can be eliminated from coal.
"We should soon make a further study on the technology so that we can expand the use of coal," he said, adding that Denmark had already expressed its willingness to transfer to Indonesia the environmental know-how.
The technology, he added, will make possible a massive expansion of coal use for firing or generating electricity without causing pollution.
He noted that Indonesia is very rich in coal with estimated deposits adequate for meeting the country's needs for 100 to 200 years.
According to him, expanding coal usage will further support the country's policy of saving oil as much as possible for exports.
Soeharto added that using oil to generate power is very expensive, especially because the fossil fuel is not renewable.
"If we build more diesel power-stations we could end up importing oil in the future," he noted.
He said the government has produced a complete geological map that shows the locations of commercially viable coal resources.
Internet
He suggested that the result of the geological mapping be entered into the Internet to let the world, particularly investors, know the Indonesian potential coal resources.
"We're very rich in minerals and various kinds of stones. We can sell them through the Internet," he noted at the presentation, which was also attended by Minister of Mines and Energy I.B. Sudjana, Minister of Agriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah and Minister of the Public Works Radinal Moochtar.
Minister Sudjana said that a geological mapping team concluded that Indonesia has 1,000 sedimentary basins that may hold various kinds of minerals and precious stones, such as gold, silver and copper.
He said that the geological map is very important to help design a development masterplan. "It tells us where we should not build a transmigration site, where areas that are prone to landslide, earthquake and volcanic eruption are located," he said.
He added that the Ministry of Mines and Energy has completed 58 geological maps of Java and Madura island, and 181 geological maps of the outer islands. (13)