PT ANTAM(Persero) Tbk has commenced preheating of the Furnace-4 facility which is part of the Pomalaa Ferronickel Plant Expansion project (P3FP). The preheating process started on March 29 and was the initial stage prior to switching on the facility in mid-April. The switch on is the beginning of the commissioning phase of Furnace-4.

G-Resources Group has updated the mineral resources and ore reserves statement for the Martabe gold and silver mine in Sumatra as at December 31, 2014, as a result of mining depletion in 2014 and some relatively minor changes to the resource and reserve estimation process.

Como Engineers has been appointed project managers for construction of Gulf Minerals Corporation’s Kupang manganese smelter project in West Timor. Major site work is due to start on July 1, 2015 for the first production of high carbon ferromanganese alloy to be tapped 12 months later.

Indo Mines expects to take the remainder of 2015 to complete phase two of a definitive feasibility study (DFS) into its iron sands and pig iron production project near Yogyakarta in eastern Java. The primary focus of this work is to determine the feasibility of the pig iron plant with additional lines of production.

After exhaustive negotiations with Nugroho Suksmanto since the announced and shareholder approved sale of Orpheus Energy’s Indonesian assets in August 2014, and despite innumerable promises, none of the approximately US$7.5 million in outstanding funds has yet been paid by Suksmanto to Orpheus and its group.

The Indonesian Government has granted Robust Resources 11 mining business licences (Production IUPs) for the mining of precious and base metals, from its Romang Island projects. These allow the right to conduct full-scale production activities within the concession area for a period of 20 years.

Production at G-Resources’ Martabe Gold-Silver Project in 2014 exceeded expectations with 275,515 ounces of gold produced and more than 2.2 million ounces of silver. Costs for the full 12 months were well within guidance at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of US$700 per ounce of gold sold compared to US$799 in 2013.

Thai-based company Lanna Resources PCL plans to acquire at least one coal mine in Indonesia with an approximate investment outlay of US$20-30 million. As part of diversification plans, Lanna is also interested in investing in a coal-fired power plant in Indonesia and alternative-energy based power plants in Thailand.

Orpheus Energy advises that, after lengthy negotiations with its creditor PT Baraindo and its debtor Nugroho Suksmanto, the company has executed a legally binding debt novation agreement. The company is now debt-free and able to pursue other corporate opportunities.

Western Mining Network has signed definitive agreements with a Korean consortium for the engineering, procurement and construction of a processing and purification plant at its Tamboli Graphite Project. The plant agreement with Udin Engineering Group is contingent upon the company successfully closing financing for the project.

Cedrus Investments, a global boutique investment firm, has signed a collaboration agreement with PT ANTAM (Persero) Tbk, a vertically integrated, export-oriented, diversified mining and metals company with operations spread throughout the mineral-rich Indonesian archipelago and a component of the Jakarta Composite Index.

Following completion of a feasibility study at the end of January, PT Indosmelt expected to begin construction of its copper refining and smelting plant in Maros, South Sulawesi. Plans for the facility were altered following the appointment of new consultants from China, Nerin Engineering, which has experience working in 130 smelters around the world.

Augur Resourcesexpects to have completed and submitted an Environmental Assessment Plan (AMDAD/AMDAL) for the Wonogiri Gold-Copper Project in central Java by the end of the current quarter. The company is also undertaking further metallurgical test work on gold-copper ore from within the conceptual Randu Kuning starter pit.

Aus Asia Minerals’ subsidiary PT Mineral Sukses Makmur (MSM) has executed an MoU with PT Krakatau National Resources, a subsidiary of Krakatau Steel, for the sale and marketing of iron ore from PT MSM’s operations in West Sumatra.

An ongoing 4000 metre drilling program at Sumatra Copper & Gold’s Tembang Gold-Silver Project is underpinning final mine design and grade control and highlighting both resource extension and exploration upside. The program was 75% complete at the end of February.

The mineral-rich island of Sumatra has a big role to play in helping Indonesia realize the benefits the potential of its natural resources and next week’s Sumatra Miner conference will be an important stepping stone in this process. The conference will be held at the Aryaduta Hotel in Palembang on Wednesday, March 4 and Thursday, March 5.

Arc Exploration announces the completion of the exit process of its former joint venture partner, Anglo American, from the Trenggalek project in East Java. Arc retains 95% of the project and its local partner 5%.

Barisan Gold Corporation announces that certain directors and officers have entered into financial commitments that will result in a strengthening of the company's balance sheet while it continues to focus activities on securing financial partners to advance its world-class Upper Tengkereng gold-copper porphyry.

Cedrus International Ltd has joined with Platinum Partners to provide a non-binding term sheet to Cokal Ltd in relation to a US$110 million project finance facility for the BBM coal project. Platinum and Cedrus will fund the project equally.

The mined grade at Kingsrose Mining’s Talang Santo Gold-Silver Project is progressively improving. The reconciled head grade for December was 9.5 grams/tonne gold and the company expects continued improvement during the current quarter.