Integrated rehabilitation sought for tin mining pits

To anticipate regional autonomy, tin mining firms in Bangka regency, Bangka Belitung province, are required not only to reclaim tin mining pits just to meet the basic standards of reclamation, but also to transform the pits into productive lands.

Therefore, the reclamation and rehabilitation of mining pits should also involve local people, according to the director of PT Koba Tin, HT Sudibyo.

"We continue to conduct studies over the reclaimed and rehabilitated mining pits so that they could empower local people," Sudibyo said.

He said most abandoned mining pits on Bangka had a varied total sizes, ranging from 10 hectares to 100 hectares, with the depths of five meters to 25 meters.

To promote a conducive relations with local people, Sudibyo said his company had been cooperating with local people to transform the reclaimed and rehabilitated tin mining pits into agriculture sites, plantations, fishery ponds, and also forest areas.

Koba Tin is owned by Kayuara Mining Corporation, which is 75 percent controlled by Australian Iluka Resources Limited and 25 percent by state tin miner PT Tambang Timah.

Koba Tin has been mining for tin in Bangka Island since 1973, over a concession area of 41,000 hectares, that would expire in year 2013. Currently Kota Tin operates three spray mining sites and two onshore dredges and produces 13,000 tons of tin per annum. (*)