Asia Thai?s coal unit operation stopped by police

Central Kalimantan miner PT. Multi Tambangjaya Utama's (MTU) coal operation is suspended by Central Kalimantan police due to problems related to its leasehold license over forest areas, Kompas reported.

The report did not give further details.

MTU is coal unit of Thai firm Asia Thai Mining Co., which started coal production in April 2009.

Asia Thai's international marketing manager Christien Chombhubol told Petromindo.Com in June last year that the mine will produce 1 million tons in 2009 and would ramp up the output to 3 million and 5 million tons in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

The mine is located in Buntok, Barito Selatan regency. Coal from the mine is transported to a jetty called ?MTU Port? on the Barito river through 62-km haul-road before being barged to transshipment point 240 kilometers away in Banjarmasin. Christien said the MTU Port could serve barge with capacity of 8,000 tons.

Coal from the mine has a CV of 6,300kcal/kg (ADB). (denny)