Bima District Head Issues Decision Stopping PT SMN's

Mataram (Antara Bali) - Bima district head Ferry Zulkarnaen on Saturday issued a decision stopping the activities of mining company PT Sumber Mineral Nusantara to conduct mineral explorations in the region.

The decision was based on a recommendation from Director General of Mineral and Coal at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Thamrin Sihite and a decision of the Bima district legislative body, spokesman of the Bima district administration Aris Gunawan said.

The recommendation dated January 26, 2012 among others suggested that the district head issue a decision stopping the mineral exploration activities in the subdistricts of Lambu, Sape and Langgudu, he said.

The recommendation came a day after the district legislative body had issued a decision on January 25, 2012 asking the district government to stop the activities, he said.

Head of the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Mining and Energy Office Eko Bambang Sutedjo said the recommendation from the director general of mineral and coal was not intended to ask the district head to revoke the company's mining permit but to stop its mining activities in the region permanently.

The district head's decision affected 24,980 hectares of mining area in the subdistricts of Lambu, Sape and Langgudu, he said.(IGT/T007)