Koba Tin to resume small-scale mining this month

Malaysia Smelting Corporation (MSC) reported on Monday that its Bangka tin miner subsidiary PT.Koba Tin is expected to resume small-scale mining by its sub-contractors by the end of August this year.

Local police ordered Koba Tin to stop receiving tin-ore from its sub-contractors as well as to cease production of tin ingots from its smelting operations following allegation that they operated in forestry area, where mining is prohibited.

Koba Tin to resume small-scale mining this month

Malaysia Smelting Corporation (MSC) reported on Monday that its Bangka tin miner subsidiary PT.Koba Tin is expected to resume small-scale mining by its sub-contractors by the end of August this year.

Local police ordered Koba Tin to stop receiving tin-ore from its sub-contractors as well as to cease production of tin ingots from its smelting operations following allegation that they operated in forestry area, where mining is prohibited.

Koba Tin reported that investigation have confirmed that all production from its appointed sub-contractors had been derived from mining activities carried out within its COW and outside the forest area. On 14 March 2008, the Head of local police granted approval for the smelting plant to resume operations.

However, the sub-contractors? small-scale production continued to be suspended throughout the second quarter of 2008.

?The management of PT Koba Tin is currently in the final stage of procuring the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities and they expect to resume small-scale mining before the end of August 2008,? the company said. (denny)