Name of the Project
Belfast coal project.

Location
Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Client
Diversified resources company Exxaro Resources.

Project Description
The Belfast coal project contains measured mineral resources of 81-million tonnes and 22.4-million tonnes in the indicated category.

The proposed project entails the development of an openpit and underground mine with a 17-year life-of-mine to produce an estimated 2.2-million tonnes a year of A-grade thermal coal and 500 000 t/y of Eskom coal.

The mine will produce coal for export and supply one of State-owned power utility Eskom’s plants.

Jobs to be Created
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not stated.

Value
Exxaro plans to spend R3.8-billion on building the mine.

Duration
The mine is forecast to start output in the second half of 2017 and ramp up in 2018.

Latest Developments
Following the award of the integrated water use licence to Exarro for the Belfast project in 2014, an appeal was lodged, resulting in the suspension of the licence.

In Exarro’s interim financial statements and unreviewed production and sales volumes information for the six months ended June 30, 2016, it reports that the suspension imposed on the water use licence has now been set aside by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). However, it notes that any appeal could result in a delay in the project timelines by about one year. Objections and future appeals could also affect the designated mine area.

Key Contractors and Suppliers
DRA (detailed design and engineering of a 500 t/h coal processing project, including a two-stage dense-medium beneficiation plant, a fine-coal dense-medium section for fines treatment, and a system for the filtration of slimes, as well as associated product handling systems); Arup (design, tender and construction monitoring); MMD Africa (detailed design and engineering of run-of-mine sizing station); EPOCH Resources (detailed design and engineering of the discard disposal facility) and GroundTruth (detailed design and engineering of wetland rehabilitation interventions).

On Budget and on Time?
The start of the project has been delayed by 12 months.

Contact Details for Project Information
Belfast project manager Johan van der Bijl, tel +27 12 307 7468 or email johan.vanderbijl@exxaro.com.
DRA, tel +27 11 202 8600 or email info@DRAglobal.com.
Arup, Joe Strydom, tel +27 11 218 7600 or email johannesburg@arup.com.
MMD Africa, tel +27 11 608 4801/2/3/4/5, fax +27 11 608 4848 or email sizers@mmdafrica.co.za.
EPOCH Resources, tel +27 11 656 0380 or +27 11 802 3657, fax +27 11 802 3654 or email projects@epochresources.co.za.