Banpu?s Mumpun Pandan mine to start production in 2004

Thai energy company Banpu Plc will start commercial production from its Mumpun Pandan coalmine in Jambi province early 2004, a company official said.

?We will start pilot mine in Mumpun Pandan in 2003, and, hopefully, we could commence commercial production early 2004 with initial output of 500,000 tonnes per annum, ramping up to two to three million tones per annum the following years,? said Leksono Poeranto, government and community relationship of PT. Nusantara Thai Mining Service, a Banpu subsidiary which operates Mumpun Pandan mine.

Leksono said Mumpun Pandan has mineable reserve of around 40 million tones with calorific value ranging from 5,300 Cal to 6,300 Cal. (alex/godang)