Bangka Belitung threatens to revoke Timah?s offshore mining permit

The Bangka Belitung provincial administration has threatened to revoke the IUP mining permit of IDX-listed tin giant PT Timah Tbk?s Teluk Kelabat offshore concession in the province following protest from local fishermen of environmental pollution.

This was revealed by Timah Corporate Secretary Agung Nugroho on Wednesday. He feared that if the threat is realized, it would affect the company?s other offshore concessions in the province which account for about 70 percent of the company?s tin output, which last year reached 26,000-32,000 tons.

Agung also questioned the provincial administration?s focus on Timah?s legal offshore operations in Bangka Belitung at a time when little efforts have been to deal with the massive illegal ting mining operations in the region.

He added that Timah has temporarily suspended the Teluk Kelabat offshore operation amid protest from local fishermen. He said that it would resume the operation if ?condition allows.?

Meanwhile, Director of Mineral Management and Development at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Mohamad Hidayat was quoted by Kontan as saying that the ministry has yet to be informed by the Bangka Belitung administration of its plan to revoke the Timah IUP mining permit.

He said that the ministry will coordinate with other ministries and the provincial administration to discuss the issue. He added, however, that Timah has obtained government environmental (Amdal) approval for its offshore operations. (*)