SUMATRA Copper & Gold has formed an exploration alliance with Indonesia gold producer Merdeka Copper Gold covering the Tembang Gold-Silver Project in South Sumatra. The strategic alliance will see Merdeka fund ongoing exploration with the aim of extending mine life and increasing production.

MAPPING and sampling work by Arc Exploration at Jerambah prospect of the Trenggalek project in East Java has identified two drill targets. The encouraging results have prompted the company to undertake scout drilling at the prospect.

ASIAMET Resources has appointed international engineering, construction and project management company Ausenco Limited as primary process engineering consultant for a feasibility study into the Beruang Kanan Main (BKM) Copper Project in Central Kalimantan. The study continues to ramp up and Asiamet says the Ausenco appointment complements the world-class team working on the project.

PRODUCTION at Finders Resources’ Wetar Copper Project has been impacted by an interruption to the 25,000 tonnes/annum copper cathode SX-EW plant. An overflow of organic and aqueous solution into the electrowinning (EW) circuit affected production in late September and early October.

AN exploration alliance between Sumatra Copper & Gold and Merdeka Copper Gold aims to extend mine life and increase production at the Tembang Gold-Silver Project. The alliance will see Indonesian gold producer Merdeka fund ongoing exploration at Sumatra’s asset.

ASIAMET Resources aims to complete a feasibility study for its Beruang Kanan Main (BKM) Copper Project in Kalimantan early next year with a development decision expected shortly after. The study will incorporate the recently upgraded resource estimate which showed a measured and indicated resource of 711.3 million pounds of copper at a 0.2% copper cut-off.

NUSANTARA Resources expects the first stage of a definitive feasibility study (DFS) into the proposed development of its Awak Mas Gold Project to be completed by the end of the year. The second stage is targeted for delivery in the second quarter of 2018.

COLLERINA Cobalt is undertaking metallurgical studies to determine the feasibility of production of a copper-gold concentrate via a gravity plus flotation process flowsheet at the Wonogiri Gold-Copper Project in central Java. The testwork is being carried out on the Randu Kuning gold-copper porphyry deposit.

NORMAL open pit ore production has resumed at the Berenai open pit of Sumatra Copper & Gold’s Tembang Gold-Silver Project following the removal of additional unscheduled waste material from the pit. The thick mud proved difficult to remove, particularly during the wettest period of the year.

THE Wetar Copper Project on Wetar Island in eastern Indonesia continues to perform strongly for Finders Resources. During May, the SX-EW plant exceeded the company’s annual production target of 28,000 tonnes of copper cathode.

MAPPING and channel sampling of outcropping massive sulphide mineralisation have shown the potential for a standalone polymetallic deposit at Asiamet Resources BKZ prospect in Central Kalimantan. BKZ is 800 metres north of the company’s BKM Copper Project, where bankable feasibility studies are well advanced.

Geo Energy Resources has amended its long-term Life of Mine coal purchase agreement with ECTP to supply more 4200 GAR thermal coal for the lifespan of Geo Energy’s Sungai Danau Jaya (SDJ) mine.

KINGSROSE Mining has raised $6.4 million via a secured convertible loan facility to assist with the ongoing restructure of its financial arrangements and operations at the Way Linggo Project in Sumatra. Administrators advise that the funds will be applied to the ongoing restructure of the company, to provide working capital and to provide funding to its 85%-owned subsidiary PT Natarang Mining (NM), owner and operator of the project.

INDONESIA’S second largest coal miner, PT Adaro Indonesia, expects to produce up to 54 million tonnes of coal this year, which is roughly equivalent to 2016 production of 52.6 million tonnes. The company is PT Adaro Energy’s core coal operating subsidiary, with other parent company activities including barging, shiploading, dredging, port services, marketing and power generation.

THE processing of low-cost stope ore from the Belinau underground mine at the Tembang Gold-Silver Project in South Sumatra has been brought forward. Sumatra Copper & Gold has made the decision due to a shortfall of ore scheduled to be mined from Berenai open pit.

RECENT results from the Lerokis deposit of Finders Resources’ Wetar Copper Project signify potential to expand existing resources. Lerokis will be the second open pit mine at the project following completion of the first phase of development at Kali Kuning deposit.

CIMIC Group’s global mining services provider Thiess has recently secured A$134 million worth of contracts to provide mining solutions to coal operations in Indonesia. Thiess has a new contract with Cakrawala Langit Sejahtera (CLS) and a contract extension that continues to build its partnership with Bayan Resources Group.

AN update of the 2014 definitive feasibility study (DFS) for Cokal Limited’s Bumi Barito Minerals (BBM) Coking Coal Project in Central Kalimantan has revealed significant reductions in capital and operating costs. Together with the increase in coking coal prices and its proximity to growing Asian markets, Cokal says BBM has become a more attractive opportunity.

THE second stage of exploration at the Trenggalek joint venture project in East Java is expected to be completed by May with a budgeted cost of US$1 million. This is focusing on the Singgahan prospect and is being carried out by PT Danusa Tambang Nusantara on behalf of JV partners Arc Exploration and PT Sumber Mineral Nusantara (SMN).

PT ANEKA Tambang (Persero) Tbk (Antam) aims to increase production and sales of its primary commodities of ferronickel and gold in 2017. The company is targeting production of 24,100 tonnes of ferronickel in 2017, an increase of 19% on the 20,293 tonnes produced in 2016, and also aims to produce 2270kg of gold from its Pongkor and Cibaliung mines, up from 2209kg in 2016.