Africa Wild

CoAL shirks legal green obligations with big promises

CoAL shirks legal green obligations with big promises
By sbmzhcn on Oct 26, 2012

In recent weeks, Australian mining coil refinery plant manufacturersompany Coal of Africa Limited (CoAL) has been ramping up public relations around the potential benefits of its proposed 8 500 hectare largely opencast coal mine in the Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape, next to the Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site, and across the river from the Zimbabwe component of the forthcoming Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area.

Thousands of jobs, and billions of rands’ investment have been promised, and we find these same claims repeated without critical scrutiny in permits issued by authorities. It is a pity that so few government officials or journalists are prepared to investigate and scrutinise the assumptions and claims made by CoAL. Our failure to assess and understand what the benefits and negative impacts of mining really are creates the danger that we are making decisions based on the self-interested claims of some members of the mining sector – decisions for which we will bear the costs for generations to come. A favourite argument of CoAL is that the exploitation of this new source of coking coal in Limpopo will bring inflows of revenue into Limpopo province.

"It is a pity that so few government officials or journalists are prepared to investigate and scrutinise the assumptions and claims made by CoAL" Especially when the outcries cool down ....and they never last for long it seems (with few exceptions like the above)

MoU on the way to follow a new PR trend?

Business Day Live


Limpopo minerals ‘are growth catalyst’
BY MONDE MAOTO , 29 OKTOBER 2012, 06:17

LIMPOPO’s extensive minerals resources have been identified as the catalyst to drive economic growth in the next resources boom, which will be fuelled by Asian emerging economies over the next 20 years, Coal of Africa (CoAL) CEO John Wallington said last week.

Striking a balance between developing mining operations in the proximity of heritage sites, as well as engaging with communities in the vicinity of mines, has become a new trend the industry has to be mindful of, Mr Wallington said. "The Marikana issue has escalated and made more important the issue of engaging with the community."

Mr Wallington was speaking at the two-day Limpopo Coal Conference held in Polokwane, which aimed to examine the best ways to unlock the province’s coal-mining potential.

Apart from large platinum reserves in the eastern Bushveld Igneous Complex, Limpopo is well endowed with coal, iron-ore and chrome reserves.

CoAL, which is developing the Vele Colliery near the Mapungubwe heritage site, is finalising a memorandum of understanding with the Save Mapungubwe coalition, which they envisage will serve as a guideline within which the Australian-based miner should operate.

CoAL is also in the process of developing thermal-and coking-coal operations in the Soutpansberg region, where it aims to mine 10-million tons yearly, once it obtains the final bankable feasibility study and obtains regulatory approval.

With South Africa having missed the commodities boom between 2000 and 2008, unlocking Limpopo’s mining industry presented an opportunity for the country to benefit from the next surge in demand from China, India, and other Asian countries, Mr Wallington said.

Mining expert Xavier Prevost highlighted the scarcity of water and the quality of coal as stumbling blocks facing companies in the region. At present, Exxaro is the only major coal producer in the Waterberg, while Sasol has applied for mining rights in the coal-rich region through its subsidiary Sasol Mining.

The Waterberg and Soutpansberg regions were difficult to mine due to water issues and the depth and quality of the seams, Mr Prevost said. The ore bodies in the Soutpansberg were likely to cause pollution. However, mining in the region could present opportunities for gasification.

Transport MEC Pitsi Moloto supported the government’s plans to develop the railway infrastructure from the Waterberg region to Richards Bay.

Transnet Freight Rail is undertaking feasibility studies on a rail link that will transport coal from the Waterberg region to the Richards Bay Coal Terminal. This will form part of Transnet’s strategy to spend R300bn upgrading and expanding South Africa’s rail and port infrastructure over the next seven years.

Coal is one of the most polluting energy sources All over the world countries are trying to develop renewable resources. It is expensive, but in the long run it ends up costing much less and does not pollute. With all the sun, wind and waves South Africa is a perfect place for those technologies. There is probably also geothermal heat, that can be utilized. It is time to think far ahead, not only of "tomorrow"....and forget about the easy way and easy money!

Totally agree Lis!! But it's not called Darkest Africa for nothing!!

I thought that was further north -O

Sometimes it feels like Darkest Africa down south!!

CoAL expects first production at Vele by next quarter


CoAL expects first production at Vele by next quarter
Posted by linkcrusher on 31st October, 2012

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Coal-mining and development company Coal of Africa Limited (CoAL) said on Wednesday that it expected first production at its Vele coking coal project in South Africa’s Limpopo province by the next quarter, followed by the first sales shortly thereafter.
CoAL executive deputy chairperson Simon Farrell said that the company had completed the exploration work required for the project to complete the final exploration and confirmation drilling three months ahead of schedule, resulting in substantial cost savings.
The miner was now only awaiting the grant of an integrated water use licence for the project, which is located on a property near the Mapungubwe World Heritage site.
Farrell said that CoAL was liaising with the relevant authorities on an ongoing basis for approval of its water licence application which was first submitted to the Department of Water Affairs in November last year.
The licence is required before CoAL can undertake certain mining activities on the Vele project. “We remain confident that the required licence should be received in the near term, meanwhile, construction of the mining infrastructure can go ahead as well as preparation of the mining area, but ore mining cannot start without the water use licence,” said Farrell.
During the development phase of the project about 850 job opportunities were created, mostly staffed by residents from the nearby towns of Musina and Alldays, and the company expected that the production phase would create an additional 460 jobs.
Meanwhile, CoAL said that despite railing problems during its last quarter ended June 30, 2010, owing to strike action at State-owned logistics group Transnet Freight Rail, it had serviced its coal sales contracts from stockpiles on site and at the Matola port in Maputo, Mozambique.
However, Farrell pointed out that only 102 581 t of coal from its Mooiplaats colliery could be railed during the quarter. Nevertheless, the colliery sold its first lower-grade middlings coal to State-owned power utility Eskom.
Further, a third underground section was introduced towards the end of the quarter at the company’s Mooiplaats colliery.
Farrell said that the development of further sections at the colliery was progressing according to plan and that additional continuous miners were due to be delivered during the next quarter.
The ramp-up of Mooiplaats was expected to be completed before the end of the year, with five sections producing 190 000 t/m to 200 000 t/m of run-of-mine coal expected thereafter.
Meanwhile, the company’s Woestalleen mines and colliery continued to produce coal in line with expectations, but was unable to rail any coal during the three-week transport strike in May.
During the three-month period, the Woestalleen mines including, the Zonnebloem mine, the Hartogshoop mine and the Klipbank mine, had sold 137 391 t of unprocessed coal as ROM coal and 498 596 t as high-grade thermal coal and a further 136 596 t to Eskom.
The company reported a cash balance at the end of June 30, 2010, of A$101-million.

How do we get the government to refuse the grant of water rites

I don't understand how they can grant an Australian mine water, but not their own poor, starving and homeless citizens. Is it not a basic right?