Production from the under-
ground mining portals at the Mooiplaats thermal coal project, in the Ermelo coalfield, would start by the end of this year’s first quarter, coal development company Coal of Africa Limited (CoAL) has said.

Reporting on the company’s progress in the quarter ended December 31, 2008, MD Simon Farrell told shareholders that the development of all the company’s coal projects remained on schedule.

“I am pleased to announce that coal was extracted from the 
Mooiplaats thermal coal project during the quarter with further significant development of the project due to take place in the next quarter,” he stated.

The ASX-, Aim- and JSE-listed company reported that the 
development of the boxcut and the surface infrastructure at the project was progressing to schedule, with the washing plant to be commissioned in March.

The first coal sales from the project would start in the second quarter of the year.

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