Antam to extend nickel mining operation in Gebe island

State owned mining company PT Antam will extend the company's nickel mining activities in the Gebe island, Halmahera despite its earlier announcement that the mining operation on the island would be closed by the end of this year, Investor Daily reported on Saturday.

Antam's corporate secretary Dohar Siregar said Friday that the mining activities on the Gebe island would be extended by between three or five years after its buyers agreed to receive lower grade nickel from the island.

The company, which received a permit to operate nickel mining in the area until 2011, said earlier that it would close the mining in 2004, about seven years ahead of the termination of its contract.

Dohar said the company would continue to prepare intensive post-mining activities such as land rehabilitation, reforestation and community development program.

"The company's employees have also been partly rotated to the company's mining area in North Maluku," he said. (*)