PTBA projects 50 percent increase in 2010 coal sales

State coal mining firm PT.Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA) projects its coal sales to increase to 19 million tones in 2010, spurred by increase in coal trading volume and production from new mine.

The company?s CEO Sukrisno told a parliamentary hearing on Tuesday that sales projection was inline with limited railway transportation capacity.

Sukrisno said that coal trading volume would be increased to 2.5 million tonnes in 2010 from 1 million tonnes this year and additional 2.5 million tonnes would be produced to supply the proposed Bangko Tengah minemouth power plant. (bernard)

	Sales Estimate (Million tons)
	2007	2008	2009	2010
1. Tanjung Enim	1.20	1.20	1.90	2.30
2. Tarahan
Domestic	5.86	6.07	6.07	6.77
Export	1.89	1.53	1.93	2.03
3. Kertapati
Domestic	0.83	1.00	0.96	1.56
Export	1.17	1.00	1.04	0.94
4. Ombilin	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.30
5. Bangko Tengah mine mouth	-	-	-	2.50
6. Trading	1.00	1.50	1.75	2.50
Total	12.25	12.60	13.95	18.90