Sungailiat, Bangka, (ANTARA News) - The Bangka regency administration in Bangka Belitung (Babel), Riau islands province said the tin mines in Bangka regency has reached 114,000 hectares, which includes 90 percent owned by publicly listed state tin mining company PT. Timah. "The tin mines in Bangka regency cover 114,000 ha comprising 84,000 ha of mines on land, and 30,000 ha of marine tin mines (floating tin mines) and 90 percent owned by publicly listed mining concessionaire PT. Timah, and another 10 percent owned by several private companies and the public," Head of the Bangka Regency Mines and Energy Agency Fery Afryanto said in Sungailiat, Bangka regency on Thursday. He also said that the tin wells in Bangka regency are widely varied, and therefore difficult to predict or count. Bangka regency mines and energy agency had always been familiarizing the local population with the tin mines, minimizing environmental damage. Many of the tin mining operations in Bangka Belitung Islands province are legal, and some illegal as renewal of exploitation permits are still being processed at at the Mines and Energy Agency. He hoped people wishing to conduct a mining business need to obtain an official permit to prevent loss to the state and environmental distruction which will be firmly dealt with by the relevant authorities. He also said that supervision and control were still inadequate in the mining sites, and caused serious damage on the environment, and the Mine and Energy Agency therefore needs to optimally supervise and control the mining operations especially those by the local population.(*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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