Timah 9 mo coal sales increase significantly

State tin miner PT Timah Tbk sold 1.28 million tons of coal in the first nine-month of 2006, a significant increase compared to 391,607 tons in the same period last year, a company official said Wednesday.

Timah corporate secretary Prasetyo B Saksono told Petromindo.Com that about 898,121 tons were produced by Timah?s subsidiary PT Tanjung Alam Jaya (TAJ), a South Kalimantan-based coal producer with the remaining portion obtained through Timah's trading arm PT Timah Investasi Mineral (TIM) from other coal producers.

TAJ?s cumulative own coal production until the end of this year was 1.06 million tons, more than triple compared to 300,784 tons last year.

TAJ expected to produce around 1.2-1.5 million tons this year. TAJ?s last year production was 755,000 tons.

TAJ operates a 9,721-hectare coalmine in South Kalimantan, which has mineable reserves of around 10 million tons. TAJ produces coal with calorific value of approximately 6,500 Kcal/kg.

Timah acquired TAJ in 2003. (denny)