JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – A subsidiary company of Altura Mining has been awarded two coal operating contracts in the Philippines, bringing the ASX-listed company’s total south-east Asian coal exploration holdings to over 34 000 ha.
The contracts are known as Area 4 – Rapu-Rapu and Area 17 – Surigao del Sur. Area 4 consists of 3 000 ha and is located immediately adjacent to the coal producing Rapu-Rapu island on the mid-eastern seaboard and Area 17 consists of 7 000 ha and is located on the south-eastern seaboard in the existing Bislig coal mining area.
The two contracts were awarded to Altura in round four of the Philippine energy contracting bidding process, which aims to develop energy projects to meet the expanding domestic supply requirement.
“The expansion of coal exploration holdings reinforced Altura’s objective of developing and becoming a significant energy company in the southern hemisphere,” the company said in a statement on Tuesday.
Altura added that it would start exploration activities in the newly awarded contract areas in line with an approved work programme and stakeholder consultation process.
The company also owns lithium and coal projects in Australia and Indonesia and its main focus is on developing the Pilgangoora lithium project, in Australia.