Koba restart tin collection from small mining ops

Malaysian firm Malaysia Smelting corp. (MSC) reported on Tuesday that its Indonesian tin mining unit PT.Koba Tin would be able to increase production to 1,000 tonnes per month starting this month as it had secured approval to resume small scale mining operations within its Contract of Work area under a new sub-contracting arrangement.

The company’s small mining activities had been halted for months as government cracked illegal tin mining activities in Bangka island.

MSC said in January 2007 release that the collection from small scale miners was estimated to account for about 45% of the company’s planned 17,000 tonnes production in 2007.

The company also reported that it had spent US$120,000 to acquire 60 percent stake in PT. Tenaga Anugerah, which main business is in offshore mining in Indonesia. (denny)