East Belitung develops tin ore mining tours

E Belitung, Bangka Belitung Islands (Antaranews Babel) - Selinsing Village in East Belitung District of Bangka Belitung Islands Province has developed tin ore mining tours to improve local people`s welfare.

"We hope that PT Timah Tbk could support development of this mining in miniature tour," Chief of Selinsing Village Enterprises (Bumdes) Muhammad Rais said in Selinsing on Sunday.

Bangka Belitung Islands is known as the world`s second largest tin producer. Tin ore mining in the area has operated for some three centuries, and development of the region is closely linked to mining sector.

"Development of the mining in miniature could provide tourists with better information on tin ore mining," he said, adding that currently the public received information on tin ore mining only from books and mass media.

"We will explain to the visiting tourists about good practices in mining which are environmental friendly, and they can directly see the mining activities as carried out by PT Timah Tbk," he said.

The tin mining in miniature would be divided into several areas including tin ore mining area, culinary area, water recreation, fishing area, and agro-tourism area.

"We have proposed the budget for development of this mining tourism to PT Timah Tbk, as the Bumdes only has limited fund for the project," Rais said.