Photo by: Creamer Media
Empowered resources group Exxaro Resources’ Belfast coal mine, in Mpumalanga, has started producing thermal coal six months earlier than expected.
The R3.3-billion, first-of-its-kind digital mine was expected to start producing coal only in 2020.
The Belfast mine will have a 17-year mine life, producing about 2.2-million tonnes a year of A-grade, export-quality coal – grading 6 000 kcal/kg, as well as 500 000 t/y of secondary-quality product for local use or export – grading 21.5 MJ/kg.
Exxaro business unit manager Lazarus Ramashilabele says there is potential for developing a second phase of the mine, depending on market conditions, which could increase the life of the mine to 30 years.
The company says about 6 000 direct and indirect jobs were created during construction of the mine, while about 20 000 people within the local Nkangala district community have benefited from the construction project.
JSE-listed Exxaro expects the mine to contribute R39-billion to local gross domestic product (GDP) over its life, with the district’s GDP gaining about R2.1-billion a year.
Ramashilabele says that, as a digitally connected mine, its maintenance teams can remotely monitor and track all the devices and access performance data, allowing problems to be picked up early.