Banpu’s Trubaindo to enter construction stage

East Kalimantan-based coal miner PT Trubaindo Coal Mining is preparing a tender for the construction of mining facility following an approval on its coal mining feasibility study.

A government source told Petromindo.Com over the weekend that Trubaindo has planned to commence coal production in August this year from the north of the company’s concession with production of 350,000 tons of coal by the end of 2004.

The source also said the company’s mining infrastructure included three bridges along with a 37-kilometer hauling road.

The source added that coal products would be transported to a jetty port in Bunyut. The barges will continue the trip via Mahakam river to transshipment point at Muara Jawa or Muara Berau offshore delta Mahakam.

Earlier, parent company Thai energy conglomerate Banpu PLC said coal production at Trubaindo is expected to increase to 3 million tons in 2005 and to 6 million tons annually in the following years.

Banpu also said Trubaindo’s constructions and infrastructures would be used by another subsidiary PT Bharinto Ekatama, which was acquired in January this year. (robert)