KANGAROO Resources, which is 56%- owned by Bayan Resources, is drilling at Graha Panca Karsa (GPK) Coal Project in East Kalimantan with the aim of confirming previous drilling and gain a better understanding of coal seam geology. The company has signed the drilling contracts and socialised the program to surrounding communities.

INDO Mines is advancing plans to develop a smelter at its Kulon Progo Iron Sands Project near Jogjakarta in Java. Following completion of the second transaction for development of the plant, the company is seeking to issue a quasi-debt instrument for US$20 million to $24 million to provide funding for construction of a beneficiation plant and to provide iron sand concentrate for the smelter.

ASIAMET Resources expects that a resource definition drilling program at the Beruang Kanan Main (BKM) project will lead to an increase in copper resources. BKM is part of the company’s KSK Contract of Work area with an updated estimate due in May.

BLACKGOLD Natural Resources’ subsidiary PT Samantaka Batubara (PT SB) has signed an MoU with PT PLN Batubara (PLN BB) to further cooperate on the supply of coal to Indonesian power plants. BlackGold has a contract for the delivery of 500,000 tonnes annually to the Tenayan power project and the MoU seeks to increase the cooperation.

PT BUMI Resources has an optimistic outlook for its coal operations in 2017 with sales expected to be 5% to 7% higher than last year while its average selling price is expected to be at least 30% above 2016 levels. The company expected 75% of its sales volume to be committed by the end of March.

STATE-OWNED coal miner PT Bukit Asam aims to increase production by 30% in 2017 to 27.3 million tonnes with most destined for the domestic market. This will support the government’s ambition of providing more electricity, which will be largely fulfilled by building coal-fired power stations.

WITH the Wetar Copper Project expected to reach full production capacity by the end of 2016, Finders Resources plans to continue exploring at and near-mine targets in a bid to identify further copper. In this regard it will use the A$12 million raised in a well-supported placement to advance the project and carry out exploration.

BASED on the positive results of an updated scoping study, which confirmed the potential for development of Randu Kuning deposit at the Wonogiri Gold-Copper Project in Central Java, Augur Resources is completing an Indonesian feasibility study. Submitting the study to the Central Government will support a change of the Wonogiri IUP from exploration to production.

AFTER achieving record monthly production of 3379 gold equivalent ounces in October at the Tembang Gold-Silver Project, Sumatra Copper and Gold is undertaking a geological review of ore body interpretations. The review at the Belinau, Siamang and Berenai deposits is focusing on determining the potential for resource extensions and will incorporate the most recent mapping and grade control data from operations.

ASIAMET Resources has started work on a feasibility study for the Beruang Kanan Main (BKM) Copper Project in Central Kalimantan following a positive preliminary economic assessment (PEA). The company says the new study represents a major de-risking phase for BKM.

PT AGINCOURT Resources has set aside US$12 million for exploration activities around the operating Martabe Gold-Silver Project in North Sumatra. The exploration is being carried out in a bid to maintain long-term production.

WGE Holdings Corp, which is to be renamed Consolidated Gold Holdings, has acquired an additional site to be operated in conjunction with its existing gold mining properties in Sulawesi. Monthly production of up to 2.5kg from this new operation is scheduled to commence in October.

THE outstanding potential of Talang Santo mine within Kingsrose Mining’s Way Linggo Gold Project has been highlighted by an independent report, which states says that a series of conventional practices will significantly increase production rates. It recommends an overhaul of mine planning and scheduling methods.

TVI Resource Development (Phils) (TVIRD) has received approval for the Declaration of Mining Project Feasibility (DMPF) at the Balabag Gold-Silver Project in Zamboanga del Sur province, the Philippines. It was the last major permit required to initiate the development, construction and operation of the mine.

PERFORMANCE at Kingsrose Mining’s Talang Santo Gold-Silver Project has been impacted by water management issues along with a reduction in effective working areas within the mine driven by delayed access to 5 Level. Kingsrose has subsequently revising its guidance for 2016 from 27,000-35,000 ounces down to 19,500-21,500 ounces.

ONE Asia Resources has updated a prefeasibility study (PFS) for the Awak Mas Gold Project in South Sulawesi. The revised PFS shows improved economics for the main deposit and two satellite deposits as well as material improvements in capex, cash cost and net present value (NPV).

ARC Exploration’s joint venture partner at the Trenggalek Gold Project, PT Danusa Tambang Nusantara, is undertaking a diamond drilling program. The drilling is designed to test for mineralised extensions to parts of the large Sentul and Buluroto epithermal gold vein systems that were previously tested with scout diamond drilling by Arc in 2010/11.

A RESOURCE definition drilling program is under way at Asiamet Resources’ Beruang Kanan Main (BKM) Copper Project in Central Kalimantan. The aim of the drilling is to enable the company to post an updated resource estimate before the end of the third quarter.

Underground mining is growing as an option for Cokal Limited’s Bumi Barito Mineral (BBM) East coking coal block in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. An updated scoping study has outlined that this would be the way forward for the block.

The Enel Group’srenewable energy division Enel Green Power (EGP), in consortium with Indonesian geothermal developer PT Optima Nusantara Energi (ONE), has been awarded the exploration and development licence for the 55 MW Way Ratai geothermal power project in Lampung province of Indonesia.