Indominco granted permit to mine at protected forest

Ministry of Forestry has cleared East Kalimantan coal miner PT.Indominco Mandiri to conduct open-pit mining operations in protected forest area in Bontang, Ministry of Forestry Malem Sambat Kaban was quoted by Bisnis Indonesia as saying.

Indominco is a unit of Thai energy firm Banpu PLC.

Kaban said Indominco was allowed to conduct open pit mining in protected forest as it had passed technical conditions set by the ministry.

Elsewhere, Ministry of Forestry Information Center Head Masyhud said that a number of companies may be allowed to conduct mining in forestry area including PT.Naratang Mining, which will mine for gold in Lampung province and state mining firm PT.Aneka Tambang, which will be allowed to mine for nickel in North Maluku protected forest.

The permits are being finalized, he said.

The three companies are part of companies that had been principally granted right to mine at protected forests as their mining permit was issued far before the areas were declared protected forests.(*)