South Africa’s mineable coal reserves are enough to support mining for about 118 years at current production rates, according to junior coal miner Canyon Coal chairperson Vuslat Bayoglu. However, intensifying anticoal sentiment has resulted in major multinationals reviewing their coal strategies, with a resulting decline in investment in new coal mines in South Africa. This could result in the country’s reaching a coal cliff, with serious economic ramifications, as the sector generates the highest sales revenue in the mining industry and is a significant employer.
Creamer Media’s Coal 2019 report examines South Africa’s coal industry with regard to the business environment, the main participants, local demand, coal exports and logistics, projects being undertaken by the large and smaller participants, as well as various issues affecting the sector, including labour and environmental considerations.
This report draws from material published over the past 12 months and is a summary of other sources of information published in Engineering News and Mining Weekly, as well as of information available in the public domain.