Pan Asia secures production license for S. Kalimantan coal project

Perth-based firm Pan Asia Corporation Limited announced on Tuesday the issuance of a Production and Operation IUP and environmental approval (AMDAL) for the TCM Coal Project located in south Kalimantan.

This Production and Operation IUP facilitates the commercial extraction of coal from the license area for a period of 15 years (renewable). This process included obtaining approval for the Environmental Impact Analysis over the intended mining operations. The total area covered by this license is 3,440 hectares, it said.

CEO Alan Hopkins commented "Obtaining the Production & Operation IUP and AMDAL clearance for TCM is another significant step forward for this project. It enables the Company to confidently advance discussions with our international & local partners as to the best manner of extracting the high quality thermal coal from this project area".

The TCM Coal Project is located in Southern Kalimantan, approximately 250km south-south-west of Balikpapan. The 3,440 ha project area is situated immediately adjacent to the ATA open pit coal mining operations owned and operated by PT Arutmin Indonesia, one of Indonesia's largest coal producers. Coal seams being mined by PT Arutmin are seen to dip at a shallow angle into the TCM concession. ATA currently produces 2 MTPA of high quality thermal coal.

Based on the initial drilling undertaken to date, the TCM Project comprises a JORC compliant 19.7 MT Indicated resource of coal, plus an 11 MT Inferred resource, it added.

The Company has executed a Memorandum of Understanding with Zhongding International Engineering Co Ltd (ZIEC) and KOPEX Mining Contractors for the further advancement of the project. (alex)