Antam reports Q3 gold, nickel exploration activities

The following is an excerpt from IDX-listed mining firm PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) on gold, nickel, bauxite and coal projects taken from the quarterly report ended September 30, 2010.

EXPLORATION*

In 3Q10, Antam continued its exploration on lateritic nickel, gold, bauxite and coal in Indonesia. Total preliminary costs reported by Geomin Unit for exploration on above commodities reached Rp33.6 billion.

Nickel
Antam conducted nickel exploration activities at Buli in Halmahera, Mandiodo and Lasolo in Southeast?Sulawesi.

Antam conducted nickel exploration activities at Buli including Sangaji area with 50 m and 25 m drilling distance, topography and grid measurement, geophysics track, wenner geophysics and sampling.

Nickel exploration activities at Mandiodo and Lasolo focused on improving resources classification. The activities included 25 m drilling distance, sampling, mapping, grid and drilling pit measurement and also polygon measurement.

Total cost for nickel exploration amounted to Rp9.7 billion.

Gold
Antam conducted gold exploration activities at Muara Manderas in Jambi, Pongkor, Papadayan and Cibaliung in West Java, Wawonli and Koloni in Soustheast Sulawesi, Mao in West Sulawesi and Oksibil in Papua.

Antam conducted exploration activities at Muara Manderas including drilling activities, Detailed Geological Mapping (DGM), opening, track measurements, opening and drilling spot measurement, collected rock samples, core samples, Fi samples, petro/ mineragraphy samples and XRD samples.

Exploration activities at Pongkor focused on core drilling activities, track measurement, IP geophysics, CSAMT geophysics, collected samples of core, Fi, petrography, mineragraphy and XRD. Exploration activities at Papandayan included Semi Detailed Geological Mapping (SDGM), DGM, opening, drilling, outcrop measurement, collected samples of core, rock, FI, pet/mm and XRD. At Cibaliung, Antam conducted DGM, collected Fi samples, XRD samples, rock samples and pet/mm samples and also conducted IP geophysics and magnetic geophysics.

Exploration activities at Wawonii and Koloni included SDGM, DGM, opening, rock samples, track measurement, petro/mineragraphy samples, IP geophysics and magnetic geophysics.

Activities at Mao, Batuisi and Karosa included SDGM, DGM, drilling, opening, sampling of core, rock, soil, hand auger and Fl/Pet/XRD and also track measurement.

Exploration activities at Oksibil included DGM, rock and soil samples.

The total cost for gold exploration reached Rp18.6 billion.

Bauxite
Antam conducted bauxite exploration activities at Mempawah, Landak, Tayan, Munggu Pasir, Meliau, Menjalin and Sebadu of West Kalimantan.

In general, exploration activities at West Kalimantan included grid measurement, test pitting and sampling to support efforts in increasing classification of both resources and reserves estimations.

Total cost of bauxite exploration reached Rp5.3 billion. (end of excerpt)

*Preliminary result, Antam also releases monthly exploration report.