A Review on Coal Exploration in Indonesia: The Cases of Korean Publicprivate Cooperation

Younggi Choi; Byounghan Kim; Younghyun Song; Gyojin Keum; Junyoung Sung; Changwon Seo

doi:10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

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Econ. Environ. Geol. 2022; 55(2): 149-169

Published online April 30, 2022

https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

A Review on Coal Exploration in Indonesia: The Cases of Korean Publicprivate Cooperation

Younggi Choi^*, Byounghan Kim, Younghyun Song, Gyojin Keum, Junyoung Sung, Changwon Seo

Author Info. +

Overseas Exploration Team, Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corp., Wonju 26464, South Korea

Correspondence to : ^*Corresponding author : dudrl@komir.or.kr

Received: April 20, 2022; Revised: April 26, 2022; Accepted: April 26, 2022

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Indonesia coal is widely consumed as a major energy source in Asian countries, such as China, India, and Korea. In the paper, the characteristics of the coal-bearing basin and coal deposits in Indonesia are comprehensively reviewed using the exploration data accumulated through the coal exploration projects supported by Korean government subsidy. Cenozoic coal bearing sedimentary basins in Indonesia extensively contain coal deposits and are most productive in East Asia. Properties of coal deposits are variable depending on stratigraphy, depositional histories and tectonics. Eocene coal deposits tend to have thinner coal thickness and fewer numbers of coal seams, but have been major exploration targets due to higher calorific value and good coal quality. Late Oligocene- Early Miocene coal deposits occur in small scales, but are suitable enough for small to medium-sized coal mines. Miocene-Pliocene coal deposits, which are widely distributed across East Kalimantan and Sumatra, are being actively mined by taking advantage of thick coal thickness and abundant reserves in spite of their lower calorific values. The experience of various exploration informs that we need to have an overall understanding on geological conditions for successful coal exploration. The details on coal-bearing basin and coal deposits in Indonesia provided through the paper will be useful data for up-coming exploration activities by Korean companies.

Keywords coal exploration, Indonesia, coal-bearing basin, coal-bearing deposits, coal quality

인도네시아 석탄 탐사에 관한 고찰: 해외자원개발 조사사업 지원사례들

최영기^* · 김병한 · 송영현 · 금교진 · 성준영 · 서창원

한국광해광업공단 해외조사팀

요 약

인도네시아 석탄은 중국, 인도, 한국 등 아시아의 주요 국가들에서 에너지원으로써 널리 소비되고 있다. 민간기업들의 높은 수요로 인해, 인도네시아 석탄 탐사사업은 해외자원개발 조사사업을 통해 가장 많이 지원된 국가이자 광종이다. 본 논문에서는 석탄 탐사를 통해 그동안 축적된 탐사자료를 활용하여 인도네시아 함탄분지와 함탄층의 특성에 대해 종합하여 고찰하고자 한다. 인도네시아의 동부 깔리만탄과 수마트라의 신생대 제3기 퇴적분지들은 동아시아에서 가장 생산적인 함탄분지들이다. 주요 탄층의 산출특성은 지질시대별로 차이를 보인다. 깔리만탄의 바리또 분지와 아셈아셈 분지 내 에오세 탄층들은 탄폭은 얇고 부존매수가 적은 경향이 있으나, 고열량의 양호한 탄질로 인하여 일찍부터 주요 탐사대상이었다. 후기 올리고세-전기 마이오세 탄층들은 소규모로 부존하지만, 중소규모의 탄광으로 개발하기에 적합하다. 동부 깔리만탄과 수마트라에 걸쳐 광역적으로 분포하는 마이오세-플라이오세 탄층들은 낮은 열량에도 불구하고, 두꺼운 탄폭과 다량의 부존매수의 이점을 활용하여 활발히 개발되고 있다. 다양한 사례들은 효율적이고 성공적인 탐사를 위해 함탄층의 지질학적 부존여건에 대한 전반적인 이해가 선행될 필요가 있음을 보여준다. 본 논문에서 제공하는 인도네시아 함탄분지와 함탄층에 대한 전문학술정보는 향후 우리나라 기업들의 탐사활동에 유용한 참고자료로 활용될 것으로 기대된다.

주요어 석탄탐사, 인도네시아, 함탄분지, 함탄층, 탄질

Article

Review

Econ. Environ. Geol. 2022; 55(2): 149-169

Published online April 30, 2022 https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

A Review on Coal Exploration in Indonesia: The Cases of Korean Publicprivate Cooperation

Younggi Choi^*, Byounghan Kim, Younghyun Song, Gyojin Keum, Junyoung Sung, Changwon Seo

Overseas Exploration Team, Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corp., Wonju 26464, South Korea

Correspondence to:^*Corresponding author : dudrl@komir.or.kr

Received: April 20, 2022; Revised: April 26, 2022; Accepted: April 26, 2022

Abstract

Keywords coal exploration, Indonesia, coal-bearing basin, coal-bearing deposits, coal quality

인도네시아 석탄 탐사에 관한 고찰: 해외자원개발 조사사업 지원사례들

최영기^* · 김병한 · 송영현 · 금교진 · 성준영 · 서창원

한국광해광업공단 해외조사팀

Received: April 20, 2022; Revised: April 26, 2022; Accepted: April 26, 2022

요 약

주요어 석탄탐사, 인도네시아, 함탄분지, 함탄층, 탄질

Fig 1.

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Figure 1.Map of Cenozoic coal-bearing sedimentary basins of Indonesia. Map sourced from ESDM (Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources) of Indonesia. Red boxes indicate the areas of Figs. 3 and 9.

Economic and Environmental Geology 2022; 55: 149-169https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

Fig 2.

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Figure 2.Correlation chart of Cenozoic coal-bearing sedimentary basins of Indonesia. Modified from Friederich et al. (2016). CS: Central Sumatra Basin, SS: South Sumatra Basin, BAR: Barito Basin, AA: Asem-Asem Basin, KUT: Kutai Basin.

Economic and Environmental Geology 2022; 55: 149-169https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

Fig 3.

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Figure 3.General geological map of the Eastern Kalimantan showing the locations of the coal exploration projects by Korean companies. The geological map was redrawn from Roe (1957).

Economic and Environmental Geology 2022; 55: 149-169https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

Fig 4.

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Figure 4.Generalized stratigraphy of the Barito Basin modified from Witts et al. (2011).

Economic and Environmental Geology 2022; 55: 149-169https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

Fig 5.

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Figure 5.Selected photographs of the coal-bearing deposits in Eastern Kalimantan (Barito Basin, Asem-Asem Basin and Kutai Basin) during the coal exploration projects. (a) Tanjung Formation (Tet-9). (b) Warukin Formation (Tmw-1). (c and d) Montalat Formation (Tomm-1). (e) Pulaubalang Formation. (f) Balikpapan Formation. (g and h) Kampungbaru Formation. Note the weakly coalified (lignite rank) coal sample. (i) An example of core logging sheet of the Tanjung Formation (Tet-6).

Economic and Environmental Geology 2022; 55: 149-169https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

Fig 6.

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Figure 6.(a) Geological map of the survey area for Tomm-1. (b to d) Contractional deformation in the Karamuan Formation (Tomk-1), cutting up section northly. (b) Geological sketch of the coal pit with structural interpretation. (c and d) Photographs of the highly deformed pit section. Note the faulted coal seam block, fault rocks (cataclasis) and fault related folds. The coal seam block is ranked as semianthracite in the ASTM classification.

Economic and Environmental Geology 2022; 55: 149-169https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

Fig 7.

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Figure 7.(a) Generalized lithostratigraphic column of Cenozoic sediments in the Kutai Basin, with major local and regional tectonic events (from Friederich et al. (2016) and Moore (2015)). (b) Stratigraphic column of Lower Kutai Sub-basin (from Friederich et al. (2016) and Moore et al. (2014)).

Economic and Environmental Geology 2022; 55: 149-169https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

Fig 8.

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Figure 8.(a) Regional structural lineament map of the survey area for Tmpb-2. (b) Geological map of the Samarinda Anticlinorium showing the location of the survey area for Tmpb-8/Tmbp-10. The Geological map was redrawn from 1:250,000 scale geology sheets published by the Geological Agency, Indonesia: Balikpapan (Hidayat and Umar, 1994).

Economic and Environmental Geology 2022; 55: 149-169https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

Fig 9.

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Figure 9.Simplified geological map of the Sumatra showing the locations of the coal exploration projects by Korean companies. The geological map was redrawn from Crow and Barber (2005).

Economic and Environmental Geology 2022; 55: 149-169https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

Fig 10.

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Figure 10.Schematic cross section of Sumatra (Darman and Sidi, 2000).

Economic and Environmental Geology 2022; 55: 149-169https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

Fig 11.

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Figure 11.Generalized stratigraphy of the South Sumatra Basin (from Darman and Sidi, 2000).

Economic and Environmental Geology 2022; 55: 149-169https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

Fig 12.

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Figure 12.Selected photographs of the coal-bearing deposits in Sumatra (South Sumatra Basin and Bengkulu Basin) during the coal exploration projects. (a and b) Muara Enim Formation (Tmpm-8 and Tmpm-14). Man for scale. (c and d) Lemau Formation (Tml-1 and Tml-3). (e) An example of core logging sheet of the Muara Enim Formation (Tmpm-11). Note the very thick coal occurrence (apparent thickness).

Economic and Environmental Geology 2022; 55: 149-169https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

Fig 13.

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Figure 13.(a and c) Geological maps of the survey areas for Tmpm-8 and Tml-2 respectively. (b) Outcrop photograph of the geological boundary between andesite (Qpva) and Muara Enim Formation.

Economic and Environmental Geology 2022; 55: 149-169https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

Fig 14.

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Figure 14.Generalized stratigraphy of the Bengkulu Basin (from Darman and Sidi, 2000).

Economic and Environmental Geology 2022; 55: 149-169https://doi.org/10.9719/EEG.2022.55.2.149

Table 1 . Summary of coal quality, coal classification and occurrence.

code	n	Average coal quality							ASTM classification	Occurrence
		TM (ar)	IM (adb)	AC (adb)	VM (adb)	FC (adb)	TS (adb)	CV (adb)		Basin	Formation	Thickness
		(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)	(kcal/kg)		Basin	Formation	(m)
Tet-1	15	6.5	4.8	3.3	42.3	49.6	1.32	7359	High volatile B bituminous coal	Barito	Tanjung	0.5 - 5.0
Tet-2	6	17.9	9.8	5.6	42.1	42.5	1.95	6335	High volatile C bituminous coal	Barito	Tanjung	0.3 - 1.2
Tet-3	27	3.5	2.8	15.6	40.5	41.1	2.07	6696	High volatile A bituminous coal	Barito	Tanjung	≤2.0
Tet-4	6	3.9	3.0	6.7	45.3	45.0	0.43	7380	High volatile A bituminous coal	Barito	Tanjung	≤1.5
Tet-5	2	4.1	3.0	9.3	42.6	45.2	0.87	7045	High volatiel A bituminous coal	Asem-Asem	Tanjung	1.0 - 8.6
Tet-6	2	7.8	5.1	5.2	44.0	45.7	0.86	7020	High volatiel B bituminous coal	Asem-Asem	Tanjung	≤1.9
Tet-7	10	4.9	3.9	10.9	44.2	41.0	0.57	6842	High volatiel B bituminous coal	Asem-Asem	Tanjung	0.8 - 2.4
Tet-8	3	7.5	4.7	8.3	44.9	42.1	2.64	6901	High volatiel B bituminous coal	Asem-Asem	Tanjung	0.5 - 7.0
Tet-9	7	8.0	6.0	10.1	43.8	40.1	0.46	6536	High volatiel B bituminous coal	Asem-Asem	Tanjung	0.1 - 2.9
Tomm-1	19	6.8	4.9	6.1	42.9	46.2	1.95	7181	High volatile B bituminous coal	Barito	Montalat	0.3 - 2.0
Tomm-2	27	27.1	16.0	4.2	38.3	41.5	0.34	5632	Subbituminous A coal	Barito	Montalat	0.3 - 4.2
Tomm-3	52	22.0	12.9	8.0	38.5	40.6	2.17	5765	Subbituminous A coal	Barito	Montalat	0.2 - 1.3
Tomm-4	8	42.0	13.4	7.8	41.1	37.7	0.51	5269	Subbituminous B coal	Barito	Montalat	0.4 - 1.2
Tomm-5	50	33.6	13.4	8.9	40.6	37.0	0.97	5358	Subbituminous A coal	Barito	Montalat	0.2 - 2.6
Tomm-6	2	32.6	17.2	2.5	37.1	43.2	0.38	5624	Subbituminous B coal	Barito	Montalat	0.2 - 3.0
Tomk-1	4	6.7	2.2	10.8	11.8	75.2	2.21	7368	Semianthracite	Barito	Karamuan	1.0 - 4.5
Tmw-1	7	34.1	18.1	3.0	41.3	37.7	0.38	5294	Subbituminous B coal	Barito	Warukin	1.5 - 18
Tmw-2	27	31.3	16.3	7.4	39.0	37.3	2.35	5197	Subbituminous B coal	Barito	Warukin	0.5 - 3.7
Tmw-3	5	36.2	15.4	4.4	40.2	40.1	1.58	5520	Subbituminous B coal	Barito	Warukin	2.0 - 5.0
Tmw-4	12	48.6	15.8	2.4	43.1	38.8	0.14	5382	Subbituminous B coal	Barito	Warukin	0.3 - 2.4
Tmw-5	7	18.7	10.7	7.1	42.8	39.3	0.33	6028	High volatile C bituminous coal	Barito	Warukin	0.5 - 3.0
Tmw-6	12	29.6	18.6	3.7	39.3	38.4	0.32	5195	Subbituminous B coal	Asem-Asem	Warukin	1.5 - 22.5
Tmw-7	12	31.9	13.7	4.7	42.7	40.3	0.84	5468	Subbituminous B coal	Asem-Asem	Warukin	1.0 - 8.6
Tmw-8	8	35.1	14.3	7.1	42.9	35.8	1.41	5355	Subbituminous B coal	Asem-Asem	Warukin	0.5 - 3.4
Tmw-9	60	31.4	12.6	4.9	41.9	40.6	0.72	5423	Subbituminous B coal	Asem-Asem	Warukin	0.1 - 4.9
Tmpb-1	40	19.5	14.2	2.6	40.6	42.6	0.89	5873	Subbituminous A coal	Kutai	Pulaubalang	2.0 - 10.0
Tmpb-2	33	8.8	2.6	11.3	39.0	47.1	1.91	7050	High volatile A bituminous coal	Kutai	Pulaubalang	0.2 - 1.2
Tmpb-3	8	14.1	11.5	2.3	41.5	44.7	1.00	6408	High volatile C bituminous coal	Kutai	Pulaubalang	1.5 - 8.0
Tmpb-4	21	16.9	12.2	2.7	42.4	42.8	1.52	6032	Subbituminous A coal	Kutai	Pulaubalang	0.7 - 4.0
Tmpb-5	3	45.9	19.4	3.2	39.9	37.3	0.41	5091	Subbituminous C coal	Kutai	Pulaubalang	1.0 - 3.5
Tmpb-6	12	22.4	16.9	2.6	39.9	40.6	2.96	5656	Subbituminous B coal	Kutai	Pulaubalang	0.4 - 0.5
Tmpb-7	3	23.1	17.4	2.3	40.4	39.9	1.68	5579	Subbituminous B coal	Kutai	Pulaubalang	0.5 - 1.0
Tmpb-8	15	9.2	6.6	4.4	42.6	46.4	1.83	6853	High volatile C bituminous coal	Kutai	Pulaubalang	0.4 - 1.3
Tmbp-1	7	NA	12.6	1.1	41.0	45.4	0.38	6245	Subbituminous A coal	Kutai	Balikpapan	2.0 - 8.0
Tmbp-2	7	18.8	14.8	6.0	38.7	40.6	1.05	5737	Subbituminous A coal	Kutai	Balikpapan	0.5 - 5.8
Tmbp-3	8	16.2	12.2	4.4	40.4	43.1	1.41	6090	High volatile C bituminous coal	Kutai	Balikpapan	0.1 - 3.4
Tmbp-4	10	34.7	15.4	1.9	43.6	39.8	0.20	5585	Subbituminous B coal	Kutai	Balikpapan	1.0 - 6.0
Tmbp-5	6	31.0	20.7	3.5	39.2	36.6	1.44	5039	Subbituminous C coal	Kutai	Balikpapan	0.6 - 1.8
Tmbp-6	3	33.0	17.6	5.0	41.5	36.0	0.16	5168	Subbituminous B coal	Kutai	Balikpapan	1.1 - 10.2
Tmbp-7	4	39.8	12.3	9.9	40.5	37.3	1.45	5103	Subbituminous B coal	Kutai	Balikpapan	0.3 - 1.2
Tmbp-8	6	36.1	12.9	10.5	39.9	36.7	1.93	5039	Subbituminous B coal	Kutai	Balikpapan	1.0 - 2.0
Tmbp-9	6	27.5	16.5	9.0	36.6	38.0	0.55	4913	Subbituminous B coal	Kutai	Balikpapan	1.5 - 11.9
Tmbp-10	19	8.4	6.4	6.5	42.6	44.4	2.10	6705	High volatile B bituminous coal	Kutai	Balikpapan	≤2.6
Tpkb-1	6	50.2	22.6	3.0	41.0	33.5	0.21	4896	Subbituminous C coal	Kutai	Kampungbaru	0.5 - 1.5
Tpkb-2	3	46.3	22.5	4.3	39.9	33.4	0.21	4772	Subbituminous C coal	Kutai	Kampungbaru	4.5 - 8.3
Tpkb-3	54	35.3	15.3	7.1	38.9	37.9	0.15	5092	Subbituminous B coal	Kutai	Kampungbaru	1.5 - 7.2
Tmpm-1	19	32.2	15.3	5.8	38.9	38.5	0.36	5309	Subbituminous B coal	South Sumatra	Muara Enim	0.8 - 3.6
Tmpm-2	18	28.7	15.3	3.0	42.4	39.3	0.60	5732	Subbituminous A coal	South Sumatra	Muara Enim	5.6 - 16.0
Tmpm-3	3	57.7	13.1	5.8	44.9	36.2	0.48	5489	Subbituminous A coal	South Sumatra	Muara Enim	0.6 - 9.7
Tmpm-4	5	41.7	12.5	2.2	44.3	40.9	1.15	5817	Subbituminous A coal	South Sumatra	Muara Enim	0.6 - 20.8
Tmpm-5	12	45.1	13.9	6.6	43.3	36.1	0.40	5160	Subbituminous B coal	South Sumatra	Muara Enim	0.5 - 1.0
Tmpm-6	10	47.1	15.7	4.6	41.5	38.2	0.40	5430	Subbituminous B coal	South Sumatra	Muara Enim	1.6 - 11.0
Tmpm-7	3	40.4	15.1	5.1	42.5	37.3	0.26	5417	Subbituminous B coal	South Sumatra	Muara Enim	0.5 - 4.0
Tmpm-8	9	22.0	10.4	2.4	41.9	45.3	0.51	6244	High volatile C bituminous coal	South Sumatra	Muara Enim	4.6 - 12.0
Tmpm-9	140	32.0	12.1	5.8	41.7	40.4	1.17	5831	Subbituminous A coal	South Sumatra	Muara Enim	1.2 - 9.5
Tmpm-10	13	38.5	14.2	11.0	40.5	34.4	0.84	5045	Subbituminous B coal	South Sumatra	Muara Enim	1.0 - 20.0
Tmpm-11	91	28.9	11.8	6.3	42.6	39.4	1.14	5641	Subbituminous A coal	South Sumatra	Muara Enim	1.0 - 18.0
Tmpm-12	61	33.1	13.2	9.4	41.3	36.3	0.43	5459	Subbituminous A coal	South Sumatra	Muara Enim	0.5 - 4.5
Tmpm-13	38	27.3	12.3	9.5	40.7	37.6	1.15	5483	Subbituminous A coal	South Sumatra	Muara Enim	1.6 - 7.5
Tmpm-14	36	34.7	13.3	8.6	40.9	37.1	0.88	5365	Subbituminous A coal	South Sumatra	Muara Enim	2.0 - 14.6
Tml-1	47	8.9	1.6	10.1	24.9	63.4	0.86	7450	Medium volatile bituminous coal	Bengkulu	Lemau	0.5 - 5.0
Tml-2	11	13.5	6.4	7.8	21.9	63.9	0.41	6537	Medium volatile bituminous coal	Bengkulu	Lemau	1.0 - 5.5
Tml-3	21	18.6	10.3	10.2	39.3	40.2	0.45	5601	Subbituminous A coal	Bengkulu	Lemau	0.4 - 14.8

Dec 31, 2024 Vol.57 No.6, pp. 665~835

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A Review on Coal Exploration in Indonesia: The Cases of Korean Publicprivate Cooperation

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인도네시아 석탄 탐사에 관한 고찰: 해외자원개발 조사사업 지원사례들

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A Review on Coal Exploration in Indonesia: The Cases of Korean Publicprivate Cooperation

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인도네시아 석탄 탐사에 관한 고찰: 해외자원개발 조사사업 지원사례들

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