Palu, C Sulawesi, (antarasulteng.com) - Head of the Energy and Mineral Resources Office, Central Sulawesi, Yanmar Nainggolan, here on Tuesday highlighted the province`s coal potential in addition to nickel that has been processed.
Potential coal deposits in Central Sulawesi can be found in some areas, including the Lembantongoa Village, Palolo Sub-district, in the form of brown coal that is over 100 meters thick and spread over a land area of some 800 hectares.
Based on a laboratory analysis of the samples taken from a depth of below six meters from the top soil, the brown coal had a calorific value of some 2,900-3500 kilocalories (kcal).
Meanwhile, brown coal and lignite, with a thickness of 0.3-1 meters in peat soil, can be found in Tomata Village, Petasia Sub-district, Morowali District.
In Toaya Village, Donggala District, a coal seam of some 0.35 meters is found in an area of some 15 hectares, with a calorific value of 4,130 kcal, whereas in Tatarandang, Bulagi Sub-district, Banggai Islands District, coal seams of some 1.5 meters thickness, with a calorific value of 5,600 kcal, can be found.
Potential coal deposits are also found in Paisubatu and Lalengan, Buko Sub-district, with layers of some 20 centimeters to two meters in thickness and a calorific value of some 5,700 kcal, and in Lamadong Village, Buol District, of about one to two meters in thickness, with levels below 4,500 kcal, on a land area of 250 hectares.
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, with a high carbon and hydrocarbon content.
The biggest coal producing country over the last three decades is China. The country had produced some 3.6 billion tons of coal in 2012, which is over 47 percent of the world`s total coal production.(skd)
Central Sulawesi Has Coal Potential
Ilustrasi--Two 50,000 tonnes of toned vessels ready to import raw nickel (ore) from Morowali, Central Sulawesi, by 2012 (Antarasulteng.com/Rolex)
