Regional Coal: Myanmar's coal production up sharply in 2005

Myanmar produced 367,025 tons of coal in 2005, up 72 percent from 212,949 tons in 2004, the Xinhua newswires reported Friday quoting the latest official statistics.

There are 82 coal mining blocks in the country now, up from only two 18 years ago.

Coal, a non-metallic mineral, is also among minerals being explored and mined by foreign companies investing in Myanmar.

Since 1998, Indonesian and Chinese companies have been engaged in prospecting, exploration and feasibility study for the development of coal resources in Myanmar's southern Tanintharyi division and northern Kachin state.

Meanwhile, by using coal for the first time mined in the northeastern Shan state, Myanmar has planned to build its first coal-burning electric power station.

Since Myanmar enacted its New Mining law in 1994, a dozen foreign firms from Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the United States have been engaged in mining activities in the country covering gold, copper, lead, zinc and tin, and the contracted foreign investment in the sector amounted to US$534.19 million as of the end of 2005, figures show.

In July 2001, the Chinese Ministry of Land Resources and the Myanmar mining authorities reached a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in promotion of investment in exploration, mining and utilization of mineral resources. (*)