Kitadin plans to increase annual coal production to 2 million tons
Thursday, September 22 2005 - 02:27 AM WIB
Coal mining company PT Banpu Kitadin plans to raise output at its coal mine in East Kalimantan to about two million tons a year from about 1.7 million tons at present, Kaltim Post reported on Thursday.
The company’s director Lukmanul Hakim said that the company had yet to fully operate its coal mine because about 500 hectares of its 2,988 ha-coal mine are located in residential areas.
“We are now negotiating the land clearance of about 300 hectares of the mine with the villagers,” he said. “If this area can be opened, we will be able to increase the production to two million tons next year,” he added.
He said that the company is not only responsible for the rehabilitation of the mining areas but also to the development of the communities located near the company’s mining sites. This year alone, the company has allocated about Rp 2 billion for its community development programs. (*)