Barut Coal Production Recorded At 3.9 Mln Tons

Muara Teweh, C Kalimantan, Jan 3 (ANTARA) - North Barito District of Central Kalimantan produced 3.9 million tons of coal in the January - December 2012 period, a local mining official said. "The production was the output of several mining companies operating in the district," Juni Rantetampang, the head of the mining supervision affairs of the local mining service, said here on Thursday. The production figure in 2012 increased from the previous year`s coal production of the district which totaled 2.3 million tons in 2011, she said. She said that businesses exploiting coal in North Barito district still faced transportation constraints as their products were still transported through river transportation means. Coal transportation activities were often halted due to decline in the surface of the Barito river water so that barges and ships could not sail, Juni added. The district`s coal sales was recorded at 3.5 million tons in the first 11 months of this year. Currently the coal price falls in international market that producers chose to slowdown production in the district, she said. Coal sales recorded by the district in 2011 totaled 2,399,563 tons in 2011 , up from 2,036,892 tons in the previous year.