BHP Billiton coal operations

Diversified miner BHP Billiton reports that its Douglas/Middelburg optimisation (DMO) project, in Mpumalanga, is complete and that the first coal has been delivered on schedule and within budget. It has another coal operation, which is the...

Optimum Coal restates intention to sell platinum interests

The black-owned JSE-listed Optimum Coal has restated its intention to sell off its interest in two platinum exploration projects. Optimum CEO Mike Teke tells Mining Weekly Online that the company will dispose of both provided the right buyer is...

Black-owned Optimum's coal spat with Eskom spills over to 2011

The arbitration case that black-owned JSE-listed coal-mining company Optimum Coal expected to be over in a matter of days has spilled over to March/April 2011. The arbitration, which began in Johannesburg on August 10 "for probable conclusion on...

A brief look at SA’s coal-mining industry

Most coal production in South Africa - about 53% - is from opencast mines, with the balance being produced by bord-and-pillar (40%), stoping (4%) and longwall mining (3%). Coal mining operations are clustered in the country’s Mpumalanga...

Bateman completes coal handling infrastructure project at Mpumalanga mine

The fast-track lump-sum turnkey contract for the provision of coal handling infrastructure for Klipspruit colliery, in Mpumalanga, that was awarded to Bateman Engineered Technologies, part of the Bateman Engineering group, has recently been completed

Black-owned Optimum Coal, Eskom go to arbitration

Black-owned JSE-listed coal-mining company Optimum Coal is to go to arbitration over differing interpretations of a coal supply agreement that it has with Eskom, Optimum CEO Mike Teke told Mining Weekly Online on Monday. Optimum is contracted to...

Rains water down Optimum Coal's export forecast

SE-listed black-owned mining company Optimum Coal expects to export less coal than forecast from its rain-hit opencast mines. Optimum forecast that it would export 5,4-million tons of coal from its Optimum collieries in the 12 months to June 30,...

New leader at the helm of BHP Billiton in SA

New BHP Billiton South Africa chairperson Dr Xolani Mkhwanazi has headed the local operations of the world’s largest diversified mining major since October 15, having taken over from Dr Vincent Maphai. Mkhwanazi, a former South African National...

R90m contract awarded 
to electrical contractor

JSE-listed electrical and instrumentation contractor B&W Instrumentation & Electrical has been awarded the R90-million electrical construction and related works contract for 14 substations, and 21 conveyors with an aggregate length of 25...

Maphai quits BHP Billiton SA, Mkhwanazi appointed new chair

BHP Billiton South Africa head Dr Vincent Maphai had quit his position, which was to be filled by Dr Xolani Mkhwanazi from October 15, the world’s largest diversified miner said on Tuesday. Mkhwanazi would assume overall responsibility for BHP...

Digging for darkness

In 2006, global coal production was 5,37-billion tons, with the largest coal producing country in that year being China (2,48-billion tons), followed by the US (990-million tons), India (427-million tons), Australia (309-million tons), and South...

Klipspruit capacity to double by 2009

Resources giant BHP Billiton Energy Coal South Africa’s (Becsa) run-of-mine capacity of the Klipspruit opencast mine, in Mpumalanga, is to be expanded to 8-million tons a year from its current 4,8-million tons a year.