South Sumatra warns mining investors

South Sumatra Governor Rosihan Arsyad warned mining investors who had long obtained mining contract from the government to start exploration or exploitation activity or they could risk the contract being revoked, the evening Suara Pembaruan daily reported Thursday.

"You have to be serious in implementing mining activity, and explain to us what are the problems causing you to make delays," Rosihan said during a gathering with mining investors.

Rosihan said that there were some 23 mining investors in the province which had already obtained the mining contract, but only five which have implemented mining activity.

He also said that South Sumatra has huge mining potential particularly coal with an estimated coal reserves of up to 12 billion tons outside those under the control of the state-owned coal mining firm PT Batubara Bukit Asam.(*)