According to the Government Administration, the coal mining area of PT. Antang Gunung Meratus is included in the South Kalimantan Province consist its of 4 Regencies, that are, the Regencies of Banjar, Tapin, Hulu Sungai Selatan and Hulu Sungai Tengah, that crosses lengthwise from South West to North East for 70 Km.

The previous coal mining area of PT. Antang Gunung Meratus was 98.445 Hectare, but after the First Relinquish during the end of the General Research Phase and the Second Relinquish during the end of the Exploration Phase the maintained area was only 22.433 Hectare. Consisting of 6 blocks of prospects areas that were block I, II, III, IV, V and VI. At the present moment, said area is divided into 20.666 Hectare (KW 98PR0041) is still in the Feasibility Study Phase while the balance amounting to 1.767 Hectare (KW 99PB0059) that consist of 2 blocks, which are blocks I and III on the North site (III-U), the construction activities have been finalized and the Exploitation Phase (mining operation) have been running since mid of 1999.

In general, reaching the Coal Contract of Work (CCoW) Area is relatively easy, located on the East side of the provincial road that connects the city of Banjarmasin with the city of Barabai. While the nearest cities are Rantau, Kandangan and Barabai.

The coal distribution area is grown with underbrush, wild grass, fields, people rubber plantations and People Core Plantation (PIR), protection forest area and Industrial Plants Forest and the inhabitants residential areas.

The morphology of the places where the coals are deposited is wavy hills that relatively lengthened with a slope decline varying between 10 - 25 degree.

The activities have been executed up to the moment are the Preliminary Research (done by Asminco, 1992), General Survey (conducted by Theo Matasak, 1995), Exploration (done by Geoservives, 1996), Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact in block I and III North (excuted by PT. Propenta Persisten Indonesia, 1997), First Phase Construction, in block I and III North was done in 1998. Bulk Sampling of 100,000.00 MT coal was executed in 1998 until in the mid of 1999 and followed by Exploitation in block I and III North.
The second phase of Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Analysis for block II, III South, IV, V, and VI is conducted in 2001 by Environmental Research Center (PPLH) of Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarbaru. The second phase of Construction is planned to be started in 2002 and conducted simultaneously with mining operation in other blocks.

The coal in the contract area are geologically within 2 stone formations, which are, Tanjung Formation (Eosene), can be found in blocks I, II, V, VI and the Warukin Formation (Central Myosene), available in blocks III and IV. The coal in both formations shows a difference in the physical observations and quality.

The distribution of coal in both formations is influenced by sedimentation and the geological structure factors. The sedimentation factor has caused the coal layers to consist of multi seams, to be wedge-like, lens formed and split. The situation has caused the thickness of the coal layers and the large inclination of the coal layers.

The amount of the coal layers are differently interpreted for each block, where the Tanjung Coal Formation in block I consist of 5 layers , block II consist of 7 layers , block V consist of 4 layers and block VI consist of 4 layers. While the coal layers at the Warukin formation at block III consist of 22 layers, in block IV consist of 16 layers. The coal layers in the Tanjun Formation are in the general showing various thickness, from 0.10 -6.65 m and the coal at the Warukin Formation from 0.15-27m.

The direction of coal layers distribution in both formations are relatively identical in all CCoW areas, which is from South West to North East with an inclination towards North West. The dimension of the inclination of the Tanjung Formation in block I and II are in general 30° and ranging from 20°-40°, while are in block V and VI they are relatively step, generally 60° and ranging from 40°-80°.

The major part of the Warukin Formation has a large inclination, even on the Tanjung Formation as well as in the northern side of block III and the central of block IV the inclination is nearly perpendicular. The inclination of the Warukin Coal Formation is between 40°-85°.

Analysis results show the presence of variation of coal quality in the Tanjung Formation as well as in the Warukin Formation. Based on the ASTM classifications the coal of the Tanjung Formation in the CcoW area of PT. Antang Gunung Meratus is classified as Highly Volatile Bituminous A while the coal of the Warukin Formation is classified as Highly Volatile Bituminous C.

The coal resources are calculated by utilizing the stipulation of influential area distance (influential area) from the exposure or information point. There are 3 categories of coal resources, which are, measured, indicated and probable. The coal resources are calculated on 3 depth groups, which are a depth between 0-50 m, 50-100 m and 100-150 m.

From research result that has been specified above, as a whole, the mining project of PT. Antang Gunung Meratus in South Kalimantan has a quite good prospect and very feasible to be carried out.