Shipment of illegal coal foiled

SAMARINDA, East Kalimantan: Staff at East Kalimantan mining and energy office have, within the past week, confiscated two containers, each with 40 tons of coal, at Samarinda seaport.

The coal, due to be taken to Surabaya, was confiscated as there was no proper documentation for it.

"The coal was illegally mined in several areas of the province," head of the office Masrihadi said on Friday.

The areas included Sempaja, Loe Janan Ilir and Sungai Pinang Dalam subdistricts within the province. The illegal miners worked in groups of 10 to 20.

The office had previously urged miners to stop their illegal mining activity because it could endanger them. The activity, carried out haphazardly, could also endanger others, as it could cause landslides.

Masrihadi said that his office would urge the miners to form a cooperative, so that it would make it easier to oversee their activities and train them in safer mining techniques. -- JP