PTBA to relocate 360 workers from W. Sumatra

State-owned coal miner PT Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA) has planned to relocate between 260 and 360 workers from its coalmining project in Ombilin, West Sumatra, to other areas where it has mining operations, the company said Wednesday.

?We will gradually reduce the number of our workers in Ombilin to the level required by the Ombilin unit,? PTBA said in its report to the Jakarta Stock Exchange.

The company said that the Ombilin unit currently employed 960 workers.

It did not say however when it would relocate its workers from Ombilin.

PTBA had stopped carrying out open pit mining activities in Ombilin due to reserve depletion, and had concentrated on underground coal mining.

The company said that it had approached China investors to take part in underground coal mining in Ombilin. It hopes that cooperation with Chinese investors will materialize in this year.

PTBA, one of Indonesia?s major coalminer, operates a huge coalmine in Muara Enim, South Sumatra.

Last December, PTBA launched its initial public offering through the Jakarta Stock Exchange and the Surabaya Stock Exchange to sell 15 percent of its shares. (robert/leo)