PT Koba Tin has been given the go ahead to resume purchases of tin ore from small scale miners operating within its contract of work mining leases on Bangka island. The company stopped buying ore six months ago, when it was accused of obtaining concentrates illegally from mines outside its leases.
The new agreement is based on a plan to establish closely supervised partnerships with small mines, under which Koba would provide management services and equipment to operators treating low grade ore. The volumes to be produced under this new system, to take effect in August, have not yet been finalised.
In recent months Koba has been mining some 400 tpm of tin-in-concentrate with its own dredge and gravel pumps, well short of its 2,000 tpm smelting capacity.
Meanwhile a judgement in the court case against three Koba executives is expected by mid-August.
