Bukit Sunur, sister firm boost coal output by hiring contractor

Bengkulu coal miner PT Bukit Sunur will boost production to 700,000 tonnes this year from 164,000 tonnes last year after the company hired new mining contractor.

A company official who declined to be named told Petromindo.Com on Wednesday that the mining firm has hired PT.Cipta Karya since June to produce 1 million tonnes of coal annually.

Prior to hiring Cipta Karya, the company conducted mining operations by its own.

The official said up to May 2007, accumulative production had reached only 90,000 tonnes, but this year?s planned production had been fully contracted to cement plant in Malaysia and power plants in Thailand and the Philippines, the official said.

The company produces coal with CV of 6,500 Kcal/kg and above from 880 hectares of mining area.

The company exports its production through Baai port, around 50 kms from the company?s intermediate stock facility. The company owns three stockpile yards with combined capacity of 200,000 tonnes

The official also said that its sister company PT.Bukit Bara Utama, which mined for coal near Bukit Sunur, was also ramping up production to 500,000 tonnes this year from 100,000 tonnes last year as it also has employed Cipta Karya as its mining contractor starting June this year.

Bukit Bara produces coal with CV ranging from 5,500-6,000 Kcal/kg from around 1,000 hectares mining area. Bukit Bara also sells its entire production to export market.(denny)