Aneka Tambang gets license to prospect bauxite in W Kalimantan

State owned general mining company PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) has received a license from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to prospect bauxite in Tayan of Sanggau regency, West Kalimantan, DetikCom reported on Monday.

Yus Suhardi, the chairman of the province's development planning board, said in the provincial capital of Pontianak over the weekend that PT Aneka Tambang had been granted a 22-year concession to prospect and produce bauxite in an area covering about 36.400 hectares.

"With the license, the company has no problems in starting its mining activities in the province," Suhardi said, adding that he hoped the company would also apply for a license to also allow it open a processing unit for the bauxite.

According to him, the Bosowa Group has expressed interest in opening a plant to process bauxite into aluminum in the province. "The business group has received a strong commitment from the Swiss firm, Glancore Corp to buy at least 500,000 tons of aluminum per annum," he added.

But Suhardi said that the business group has yet to receive a license from the government. (*)