KPC production up in Q3 2002

East Kalimantan major coal mining PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) said on Tuesday it had produced 5.08 million tons of coal in the third quarter of 2002, up from 4.42 million tons in the previous quarter.

The third quarter production was also higher than the targeted 4.9 million tons, the company said.

?Our production in the third quarter of 2002 was strong with our fleet achieving productivity improvements, assisted by dry weather and contribution from our contract miners,? said the company in a statement.

Meanwhile KPC said total output from January to September 2002 had reached 11.5 million tons, compared with the 17.2 million tons planned for the entire year.

The company said some 4.871 million tons of the period production were shipped to Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

KPC, which is currently equally owned by Rio Tinto and BP Plc., is in the process of divesting 51 percent of its stake to Indonesian owned companies. The company operates a huge coalmine in Sangatta in East Kutai regency, East Kalimantan. (robert/godang)