Antam and another local firm are disputing gold mining area

State owned general mining company PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) and private plantation company PT Prama Nugraha are disputing a gold mining area in Cimanggu, Pendeglang, Banten. The operation of Antam?s subsidiary PT Astrindo in the location has been temporarily halted due to the dispute, Koran Tempo reported on Monday.

Deputy regent of Pandeglang regency, Moch Mudjio A. Satari confirmed over the weekend about the dispute. "We have held a meeting with related agencies such as the local mining office, the local legislators and representatives of the two companies to find ways in settling the dispute," he added.

He said that the dispute occurred due to the overlapping of the two companies? concession areas. According to initial study, about 7,150 hectares of Antam?s 16,710 hectare-mining concession in the regency overlaps with plantation concession area of PT Prama.

Mudjio said that PT Prama obtained its license to develop plantation on 8,560 hectare-area in the location a long time ago but the company had only opened small parts of the area for plantation purposes.(*)