Platts quoted Malaysia Smelting Corporation as saying that an Indonesian court has found a top executive at Koba Tin not guilty of illegal mining in a protected forest area.

In a statement to the Malaysian Stock Exchange, MSC said that Mr Kamardin Top president director of Koba Tin had been cleared of all charges by the court. MSC owns 75% of Koba Tin.

The case came to light in February, when it emerged that Indonesia's Forestry Department had accused Koba Tin's Merapin dredger of illegally occupying and mining in a protected forest area in the Sumatran town of Lubuk Besar. Dredging in the area stopped in 2002 after local tin reserves ran out.

Koba Tin, which is capable of producing 20,000 tonnes per year of tin, said in February that production was likely to be unaffected by the court case.

(Sourced from Platts.com)