Global Minerals (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd is the operator of the largest coal mine in Malaysia. Our brand of "MeritCoal" is one of the most environment friendly coals with very low sulphur content. MeritCoal also has relatively low nitrogen and ash content.

MeritCoal is produced from the Merit-Pila coalfield. The coalfield is the largest in Malaysia with an area of approximately 260 square kilometres and is located in Kapit area of Sarawak. Exploration by Global Minerals and the Malaysian Governement Minerals and Geoscience department shows that the entire Merit-Pila coalfield has more than 400 million metric tonnes of coal resources.

Background
Coal exploration in the Merit-Pila area started in 1972. In late 1987 mining commenced and the first shipment was made in 1988 to Japan. Since then MeritCoal has been exported to Bangladesh, Taiwan and Japan. In 1993, a contract was signed with Tenaga Nasional Berhad (Malaysian national utility company) for supply of coal to their power station. In 1994 another contract was signed with Sejingkat Power Corporation Sdn Bhd for the supply of coal and shipment commenced in 1997.

Accessibility
Travel to the mine site begins from Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak state. Forty minutes flying time is required to reach the town of Sibu. From here visitors board an express boat to Kapit town. The journey will take approximately 21/2 - 3 hours. From Kapit town, a speed will transport visotors to the Coal Preparation Plant and Stockpile yard. The short trip takes 20 minutes. The site mine is approximately 44km northwards from here. Travel time by 4 wheel-drive is about 60 minutes.

Exploration
In order to have an accurate picture of the potential mining areas prior to mining, an Exploration Department was established to collect data. The team comprises geologists, surveyors, drilling supervisors, drillers and survery assistants. Locals were also recruited to assist to field operations.

Field reconnaissance surveys were conducted by geologists. Coal outcrop were then recored and surveyed. Boreholes were drilled to delineate the coal seams as well as to determine the lateral and down-lip extension of the coal seams. Boreholes spacing ranges from 50-200 m in other areas. Koken boring machines and Longyear boring machines are engaged with the drilling. The cores recovered were examined by the geologists and the data compiled. The completed bareholes would be surveyed. Typography maps on scale ranges from 1:1000, 1:1500 were produced for geological evaluation and mine planning purposes. Global Minerals employ a team of experts comprising of geologists, land surveyors and drillers to explore the potential mining areas prior to mining.

Mining
Coal mining is carried out by Global Minerals and our contractors. Scope of work covers all land clearing, overburden removal and dumping, excavation, stockpilling (if any) and loading to haulage trucks. Heavy machinery used involve bulldozers like Komatsu D-155, excavators like Komatsu PC-300, Hitachi EX - 350. Motor graders are also used to provide smooth access roads to the mine site and for road maintenance. Mercedes and Nissan dump trucks are used to carry away the waste minerals from the mine pits to designated dumpsite.

Currently, coal is mined by opencast method. Mining operation commences from the coal outcrop line and extends along the strike of the coal seam and follow down-dip to reach the deeper part of the coal seam. The pit is further sub-divided into mining blocks according to the geology, overbirden, coal thickness, drainage, dumping distance etc; to obtain optimum productivity

Hauling
Coal haulage from the mine pits to GMS Preparation Plants and StockPile Yard is carried out by heavy duty trucks. We employ a combination of Mercedes, Volvo and Nissan trucks. Subject to weather and customer requirements, our trucks could operate up to 24 hours daily.


Coal Processing Terminal
The preparation plant is equipped with 2 McClanahan primary and secodary crushers. They are designed to produce up to 100mm size at crushing rate of 140 metric tonnes per hour. The raw coal stockpile yard has capacity of 100, 000 metric tonnes. Loading coal to barge os by conveyor system with a transfer rate of about 300 metric tonnes per hour.


Barging and Shipping
Barges with capacity of 2000 to 3500 metric tonnes are used to transport the coal to a transshipment point at Tanjung Manis anchorage, the coal is transferred to ocean going vessels using the vessel's showel grabs. The high-water draft at the estuary of the Kuala Rejang at Tanjung Manis is approximately 8.5 metres.

For GMS's contract with Sejingkat Power Corporation, the coal is barged directly to SPC's jetty outside Kuching. Barging time from the loading site to transshipment point at Tanjung Manis is approximately 28 hours, while the time to SPC's jetty in Kuching is approximately 3 days.


Coal Quality
MeritCoal produced from the coal seams of the Merit-Pila Coalfield belong to sub-bituminous B rank, with extremely low sulphur and low ash content. MeritCoal has the following specification: