Dewata to start exploration on coking coal concession in Murung Raya

By Cepi Setiadi

Coal mining company PT Darma Putera Wahana Pratama (Dewata), through its subsidiary PT Naan Bara Abadi, is planning to start exploration on its coking coal concession in Murung Raya, Central Kalimantan in 2015.

Paulus W. Broto, President Director of PT Darma Putera Wahana Pratama told Petromindo.com on Thursday that the company is looking forward to obtaining the forest-utilization license (izin pinjam pakai) from the Ministry of Forestry.

?We have obtained recommendations from local regent and local governor, and just waiting (for approval) from the central government,? he said adding that the company is budgeting about US$ 10 million to develop the concession.

Paulus said that the concession has a total area of 24,000 hectares and is estimated to hold hundreds of millions of tons of coal resources.

?If we can complete the exploration stage this year, we expect to commence the exploitation next year,? he said.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon