PKN opens new coal block

East Kalimantan coal miner PT Pesona Khatulistiwa Nusantara (PKN) has opened a new block called ?Sekayan? this month, and first shipment is expecting to be in the end of the month.

The company?s official told Petromindo.Com that Sekayan block has a mineable reserve of around 90 million tonnes of low-rank coal. At present, PKN has produced coal from a block called Kelubir with the same calorific value.

For next year, PKN has targeted to produce 3 million tonnes of coal from this year?s revised target of 1.5 million tonnes. Of the total 3 million tonnes for next year, 1.5 million tonnes would be mined from Kelubir and the rest from Sekayan block.

In 2013, production target will be increased to 4 million tonnes, with Sekayan contributing 3 million tonnes and the remaining 1 million tonnes from Kelubir, the official said.

The company?s main coal export destinations are China and India. (denny)