Illegal mining activities at Arutmin's locations declining

Illegal mining activities at Arutmin Indonesia's coal mining sites in South Kalimantan have been declining following the intensive operation conducted by the anti illegal mining special team, Investor Daily reported on Wednesday.

Sudirman Widhi Hartono, the site manager of Arurmin's Satui mining site, said in Banjarmasin on Tuesday that the operation of the special team formed by the South Kalimantan police had showed a positive result.

He hoped that the operation of the special team would continue so that the illegal miners would no longer be able to carry out their activities.

According to him, the illegal mining activities which began in 1998 had caused the company to lose between 12 percent and 15 percent of its coal deposits. He said that the illegal miners did not only steal the coal deposits but also damaged the environment within the company's mining area.

"The problem is not only about losing our coal reserves but we should also rehabilitate the damaged areas left behind by the illegal miners," he added.(*)