BRMS hopes construction permit for Sulawesi gold mine project this year

By Brigida Ernestina Elu WeA

IDX-listed PT Bumi Resources Minerals Tbk (BRMS) hopes to be able to obtain construction permit from the government this year for its gold mine project in Central Sulawesi run by subsidiary PT Citra Palu Minerals.

This was said by BRMS President Director Suseno Kramadibrata. He said the company expected legal issues related to the gold mine project can be gradually settled over the next few months so that initial field preparations can be carried out.

?Citra Palu faces rampant illegal mining (activities) and a relatively complex permitting process that we must immediately resolved. Citra Palu is our main project this year because the various processes are almost completed and we?re moving toward construction stage,? he told petromindo.com.

He said that progress of feasibility study of the project has reached 80 percent, while environmental impact assessment (or Amdal) is also expected to be completed within the next few months.

?In the location of the project there are three blocks, one of which has resources of up to 900,000 ounces of gold, so we have huge potential. With our financing capacity and ability, we will develop the project because even with resources of only 400,000 oz, it is actually already feasible. This is our priority this year,? Suseno explained.

As has been previously reported, CBRMS owns 96.67 percent interest in PT Citra Palu Minerals. Citra Palu Minerals has Contract of Work rights to a 138,889 hectare mining concession in Central Sulawesi and South Sulawesi.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak