Junior miner Mitra Asia Coal to export production

Junior coal mining company PT Mitra Asia Coal would start exporting its coal output this year following the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Chinese company Haijie Trading Co. Ltd.

Under the MOU signed last month, Mitra will ship about 40,000 tons of coal to the Chinese firm this year.

The South Kalimantan-based firm marketing officer Gerry Tuhumury told Petromindo.Com on Wednesday that Mitra planned to triple its coal output from 40,000 tons last year to 120,000 tons this year.

?We hoped that we could increase our production to anticipate increasing demand either from domestic or overseas markets,? Gerry said, adding that last year Mitra sold all its products domestically to Suralaya power plant, PT Semen Gresik, PT Tjiwi Kimia, PT Inco, and PT Indocement.

Mitra holds three coal mining concessions in Kotabaru and Tanah Laut regencies, with a combined coal reserves of around 3 million tons. The company?s coal calorific value ranges between 5500 and 5800 Kcal/kg. (maya)