RI's coal reserve reaches 28 billion tons

By Giok Manna

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources said that Indonesia?s coal resources increased to 161 billion tons from the previous data of 151 billion tons with mineable reserves stood at about 28 billion tons, substantially higher than earlier figure of 20 billion tons.

Sukhyar, the head of the ministry?s geological agency, said that the updated estimate of the country's coal resources and reserves was made based on data collected from coal miners running explorations across the country.

?Majority of the coal resources is located in Sumatra island with 85.61 billion tons or 53,6 percent of the country?s total coal resources,? Sukhyar told the two-day seminar on ?Unlocking Sumatra coal potential? organized by Petromindo.com in Jakarta, adding that most of the resources was widespread in South Sumatra basin.

He said that mineable coal reserves in Sumatra reached 14.79 million tons and categorized as low rank coal.

Editing by Adianto P. Simamora