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Coal Mining

Coal mining is the industrial extraction of coal from underground seams or surface deposits for use as fuel and raw material. The sector encompasses opencast (open-pit) and underground mining methods, depending on the depth and geology of coal deposits. Coal mining is a major global industry, supplying thermal coal for electricity generation and metallurgical coal for steelmaking. Key coal-producing regions include China, India, the United States, Australia, Indonesia and South Africa, where the resource underpins energy security and export revenues. The industry employs millions worldwide, though it faces mounting pressure from climate policy, renewable energy competition and environmental concerns over air quality, water use and land rehabilitation. In Africa, South Africa dominates coal production, with significant reserves in Mpumalanga province feeding Eskom's coal-fired power stations and export terminals such as Richards Bay. Operations range from large mechanised mines operated by multinational companies to smaller artisanal workings. Coal mining's future is shaped by the global energy transition, with declining demand in developed markets offset by continued growth in Asia, particularly India, where state-owned Coal India remains the world's largest producer. The sector's history stretches back centuries, but industrialisation in the nineteenth century transformed coal into the backbone of modern economies.

Coal Mining News


Process shows promise for brine pond treatment
Updated 3 hours ago By: Devina Haripersad

A biological sulphate reduction process has shown potential to treat hypersaline brine ponds produced by coal mining operations. After successful bench-scale testing, pilot-scale work is now... 


Maules Creek coal mine
Whitehaven Coal logs 2026 output at top end of guidance, sees costs at low end
28th July 2026 By: Reuters

Australia's Whitehaven Coal said on Tuesday its yearly output and sales landed near the top of guidance range as its Queensland mines recovered, while full-year costs were set to come in near the... 


A coal mine in India
Coal India misses profit view on weak volumes, higher costs
27th July 2026 By: Reuters

Coal India, the world's largest coal miner, missed first-quarter profit expectations on Monday, on weaker production volumes and higher costs. Here are the details from the company's earnings report: 


CiDi equipment
China's CiDi eyes overseas sales of autonomous mining machines this year
24th July 2026 By: Reuters

CiDi, the Hong Kong-listed Chinese autonomous mining equipment maker, expects overseas deployments to grow this year as it expands beyond China, CE Albert Hu told Reuters. CiDi has equipped... 


Coal miners face limited funding options
Coal miners face limited funding options
24th July 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

Despite coal being a significant contributor to South Africa’s GDP and electricity generation, funding for new coal mines from commercial banks is limited in the international and local market.... 


TFR making progress on coal rail line improvements
TFR making progress on coal rail line improvements
24th July 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

South Africa has an abundance of coal reserves, but the coal mining sector’s competitiveness requires an efficient logistical network to move coal from mine to market. While the industry has faced... 


CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY
The development of the Maamba power station in Sinazongwe includes a dedicated coal mine on an 8.15 ha site to fuel the plant
Energy deal set to bolster Zambia mining
24th July 2026 By: Keabetswe Shilakwe

To help close Zambia’s 1 400 MW baseload electricity generation deficit and reduce its exposure to drought-affected hydroelectric supply, mining and energy investment holding company ZCCM... 


An image of Seifsa CEO Tafadzwa Chibanguza
Beneficiation, innovation take centre stage at MCCI conference
23rd July 2026 By: Tasneem Bulbulia

With Middelburg at the heart of the South Africa’s power generation sector, providing about 80% of the country’s energy, there is a need to bolster the use of the region’s resources through... 


Anglo American's Los Bronces mine
Anglo flags first-half loss at diamonds, coal units; cuts copper cost outlook
23rd July 2026 By: Reuters

Anglo American reported broadly flat first-half copper production on Thursday and lowered its 2026 copper cost guidance, but said its diamonds and steelmaking coal businesses are expected to post... 


Allen Makamure, Moses Madondo, Bernard Swanepoel.
AI’s efficiencies keeping even lower quality operations going longer, energy event hears
22nd July 2026 By: Martin Creamer

The increased efficiencies achieved by AI are ensuring that even lower quality operations are kept going for longer which benefits all stakeholders, Thungela Resources CEO Moses Madondo made clear... 


BEFORE & AFTER
Three historic draglines – two Marion 8200's at the top left and a Bucyrus at the bottom on the left picture – are pictured to the right against the newly refurbished Marion Number 3 dragline that was seen in action on a site visit on July 21
Optimum back from the dead with historic dragline returned to production
22nd July 2026 By: Donna Slater

The troubled Optimum Colliery, having emerged from a business rescue process in February 2024, is being rapidly revived with a multibillion-rand investment from Liberty Coal to ramp up mining,... 


Coal heap with rail wagons in background
China's June coal output falls 9.7% year-on-year after mine accident
17th July 2026 By: Reuters

China's June coal production fell 9.7% from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said on July 15, after a deadly mine accident in late May led to safety checks that tightened supply.... 


An image of the chemical binder being used at a mining site
Binder helps with dust control, briquetting and beneficiation
17th July 2026 By: Trent Roebeck

Mineral ore fines can create environmental concerns, such as fugitive dust, which can result in air pollution and, potentially, water pollution, owing to hazardous leachate from large waste dumps.... 


The Escondida mine
BHP confident of group’s future growth opportunities, despite warning of lower 2027 copper output
16th July 2026 By: Chanel de Bruyn

Global diversified miner BHP produced nearly two-million tonnes of copper and record iron-ore production for the financial year ended June 30, but has substantially lowered its copper production... 


Coal mine
TerraCom expects lower full-year coal sales
10th July 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

ASX-listed coal miner TerraCom expects its coal sales for the full 2026 financial year to total 1.45-million tonnes. The company initially expected coal sales from the Blair Athol mine to be... 


head and shoulders shot of Riaan
Advances in coal dust testing support safety compliance
3rd July 2026 By: Devina Haripersad

Research conducted by research, development and innovation institution the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has demonstrated that coal dust explosibility testing can be... 


Coal import data from December 2025 to June 2026
Asia's thermal coal imports jump on China, Japan, S.Korea buying
26th June 2026 By: Reuters

Asia's imports of seaborne thermal coal are rebounding as China boosts purchases to compensate for soft domestic output and Japan and South Korea seek energy security amid the fallout from the... 


Salungano’s share price rises as it reports higher earnings expectation
Salungano’s share price rises as it reports higher earnings expectation
24th June 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

JSE-listed Salungano Group’s share price rose by more than 26% on June 24 after the company said it expects to report earnings per share (EPS) of between 50.64c and 51.14c for the financial year... 


Alberta's Rocky Mountains
Singer, citizens may well manage to get new coal projects banned in Alberta
12th June 2026 By: Marleny Arnoldi

A petition launched by award-winning musician and sixth-generation Albertan Corb Lund together with the “Water Not Coal” campaign has garnered the minimum required signatures under Alberta’s... 


MC Mining enters into $9.94m unsecured convertible promissory notes
MC Mining enters into $9.94m unsecured convertible promissory notes
11th June 2026 By: Sabrina Jardim

ASX- and JSE-listed MC Mining has entered into binding agreements with Kinetic Development Group (KDG), the company's controlling shareholder, and Eagle Canyon International Group, a minority... 


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