Kangaroo: Barging of coal from MCM to BCT has recommenced
Thursday, April 30 2015 - 07:05 AM WIB
ASX-listed Kangaroo Resources Ltd said that barging of PT Mamahak Coal Mining (MCM) coal from Long Hubung Jetty in East Kalimantan was recommenced in January. MCM has also been able to trial new Self Unloading Barges (SUB?s) alongside conventional barges and these have proved successful in the upper reaches of the river as they are faster and do not require the use of additional floating grab cranes for unloading.
The company said in a statement Thursday that river water levels have remained variable resulting in intermittent barging activity, however, 45,500 tons of coal has now been transferred to the Balikpapan Coal Terminal (BCT) with the remaining 26,000 tons expected to be transferred over April and May before the next ?dry season? returns.
Transfer of all the remaining coal stocks will also enable a further reduction in site care and maintenance expenditure, it added.
?Direct Sales on a barge-by-barge basis were not possible due to the ?intermittent? nature of the barging activities, however, the company has already received expressions of interest from prospective buyers who will review further once we have all the available coal located at BCT and the necessary export sales licenses in place,? the company said.
Resumption of mining activity at MCM is dependent on coal markets improving, and establishing more reliable logistics route for coal sales, it said.
According to the company?s website, Mamahak consists of four separate coal concessions that are located in East Kalimantan. The concesions are PT Mamahak Coal Mining (MCM), PT Mahakam Energi Lestari (MEL), PT Mahakam Bara Energi (MBE) and PT Bara Karsa Lestari (BKL).
Initial exploration work in MCM has enabled a JORC compliant Report to be issued by PT SMG Consultants in Feb 2011. The reprt estimated 6.9Mt of Measured Resources, 3.1Mt of Indicated Resources and 0.5Mt of Inferred Resources. (JORC 2004). The coal in this area is exhibits coking characteristics and will target the semi-soft coking coal market.
Coal haulage from MCM mining locations to jetty is about 20 ? 30 Km. Barging along Mahakam River to the Balikpapan Coal Terminal (approx. 640km).
Production was commenced in 2012, but suspended due to low river levels in 2013. Additional exploration has been carried out and additional forestry permits (IPPKH) are being processed to enable exploration to commence in the other 3 concession areas.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak