Low rank coals in Indonesia commonly occur in thick seams often greater than 20m thick. Such thick coal seams near the surface allows large scale mining, at low strip ratio, by conventional open-cut methods and provides the opportunity for economies of scale. Low rank coal is a proven source of fuel for power generation and new technologies will give additional opportunities for improving efficiencies of exploitation and utilization in the future.

Coal resources in Sumatra are the largest in Indonesia. At this time almost all of these coal resources are concentrated in South Sumatra Province. This may not be because South Sumatra has more coal than other provinces in Sumatra but more likely a consequence of the relative lack of exploration in other areas.

Ideally, exploration for Nickel laterite deposits should begin with regional studies and other GIS techniques. In South East Asia, these types of low rank deposits are relatively easy to find. They can occur anywhere, where Ophiolite formations have been uplifted and weathered over time.