https://www.miningweekly.com

Sasol targeting step change in coal mining productivity

Sasol Mining senior VP Lucky Kgatle tells Mining Weekly Online’s Martin Creamer that a study of longwall mining is under way to increase productivity. Photographs: Duane Daws. Video: Nicholas Boyd. Video Editing: Nicholas Boyd and Lionel da Silva.

7th June 2016

By: Martin Creamer

Creamer Media Editor

  

Font size: - +

SECUNDA (miningweekly.com) – Sasol Mining is targeting a productivity leap at its coal mines in Secunda, which supply 40-million tonnes of run-of-mine coal a year to the company’s coal-to-liquids synfuels plant in Secunda.

Up to now, its five Secunda coal mines have been bord and pillar mined, but under identification are panels appropriate for more efficient longwall mining.

Also under scrutiny are productivity enhancing technologies in general.

“We’re still busy with prefeasibility to check whether longwall would be able to give us the productivity step change we’re seeking,” Sasol Mining senior VP Lucky Kgatle told Creamer Media’s Mining Weekly Online in a video interview on Tuesday.

Envisaged is the attainment of global scale competitiveness that would take the company down the cost curve.

Under consideration are larger continuous miners backed by 20 t capacity shuttle cars rather than the currently used 16 t cars.

Once final investment decision stage is reached, an announcement can be expected.

Comparatively hard coal is being met by research, with original-equipment manufacturers, on improved coal cutting ability.

“We’re trying to improve the tonne per pick. Improving pick life will be of great benefit to us,” explained Kgatle.

Two-million tonnes of coal a year are also provided for electricity and steam that the group self-generates at its operations in Sasolburg.

Exported through the Richards Bay Coal Terminal are 3.5-million coal tonnes not used for gasification.

For now, Sasol Mining does not see itself expanding in Secunda, where its coal reserve base is able to meet the needs of the company for the next 34 years.

As older mines are depleted, their capacity is replaced as part of a 2050 vision. (Also watch attached Creamer Media video).

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

Showroom

M and J Mining
M and J Mining

M and J Mining are leading suppliers of physical support systems as used by the underground mining industry. Our selection of products are not...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Universal Storage Systems (SA)
Universal Storage Systems (SA)

South African leader in Steel -Racking, -Shelving, and -Mezzanine flooring. Universal has innovated an approach which encompasses conceptualising,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
27th March 2024
Resources Watch
Resources Watch
27th March 2024

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.11 0.148s - 91pq - 3rq
Subscribe Now