ICMA downgrades target of 2012 coal output

By Cepi Setiadi

Indonesia Coal Mining Association (ICMA) predicted that the national coal production will be at the level of around 360 million tons this year, lower than the association's previous target of 390 million tons.

Bob Kamandanu, chairman of ICMA argued that a number of small-scaled coal miners had stopped their operations due to the current high production cost amid the weaker coal prices in international markets.

"Some 10 percent of the existing coal companies are categorized as small coal miners,? Bob told Petromindo.com.

The government earlier predicted that the country?s coal production would be about 332 million tons of which 250 million tons would be for export market.

Editing by Adianto P. Simamora