Migrating Coal Production in Southern Africa — From the Great Basin to the Little Pockets

Angus Christie
Anglo Coal, Johannesburg, South Africa

The traditional epicentre of coal production in Southern Africa for over a 100 years has been the main Karoo Basin. However, coal deposits located in peripheral basins in South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia have been the focus of significant exploration activities over the last few years. The degree to which these coal deposits will contribute to Southern African domestic and export coal production is yet to be practically demonstrated. The perceptions painted by junior exploration and mining companies remain to be converted into the reality of sustainable coal production. This paper examines the contribution of geology, coal product quality, mineability and infrastructure in creating sustainable mining operations in coal deposits that have remained largely unviable due to a range of technical and economic factors.

AAPG International Conference and Exhibition, Cape Town, South Africa 2008 © AAPG Search and Discovery