Plant commissioning at Taliwang project expected soon: Southern Arc

By Romel S. Gurky

Canadian junior miner firm Southern Arc Minerals said that a series of small-scale processing plants are being set up at the Taliwang gold, copper, and silver mining area in West Sumbawa Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province.

The company said Wednesday that commissioning of the first 20-ton per day (scaleable to 40-ton per day) processing plant will ?commence shortly.?

Southern Arc has sold its 90 percent interest in PT Indotan Sumbawa Barat, which owns the Taliwang project (the other 10 percent is owned by the West Sumbawa Regency administration) to an undisclosed Indonesian investor. But the company is still allowed to participate in the project under the net smelter royalty and buyback terms.

Elsewhere, Southern Arch said that the purchaser has successfully completed and received government approval for an Environmental Impact Statement and Feasibility Study for the development of small-scale gold mining and processing within the Taliwang IUP area.

?The West Sumbawa Regency has issued an exploitation IUP to Indotan Sumbawa Barat, granting tenure for a further 20 years,? it added.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak