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Coal a critical part of south africa's energy future - shabangu by 123wert sdfsf
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Coal a critical part of south africa's energy future - shabangu |
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Business,Business News,Business Opportunities
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JOHANNESBURG (Mineweb) - Despite stated plans to rebalance its energy mix, South Africa'sminister of mineral resources, Susan Shabangu, Tuesday, outlinedcoal's importance to the country's future. "There can be no doubt of the critical role coal will continue toplay in our country's energy landscape - long into our nation'sfuture" said Shabangu at the inauguration of Sasol Mining's firstmajor replacement mine since starting operations over six decadesago. But, while it is to remain an important cog in the country'sindustrial machine, the Minister was quick to remind the industryto reposition itself in relation to the changing global anddomestic priorities. This included urging companies like Sasol to invest more intoresearch and innovation to mitigate the negative impacts from coalexploitation by responding to climate change issues. And, she said "While South Africa has through its multilateralcommitments and the Integrated Resource Plan 2010, made clear itsintention to rebalance its energy mix, there is still a vital roleenvisioned for coal generated energy.
This is even more so in thepresent. This is an area where the state owned mining company willplay a strategic role." The minister did not elaborate on the strategic role envisaged forthe state owned miner but would presumably entail securing coalsupply for the country's power utility, Eskom. The intention to streamline the current fragmented and timeconsuming mining licensing process has oft been mentioned but theminister committed that this would become a thing of the past andthat the new integrated system would afford mines the opportunityto start up within a year. With the addition of the new Thubelisha shaft to the Sasol familyas well as two more mines due to come on line the ministerconcluded by saying that these new investments showed the company'scommitment to South Africa and rubbished the perception that Sasolwas divesting out of the country.
CEO, David Constable, said that the pipeline of projects for thecompany over the next two years would see it spend a further R40bnacross its Southern African operations. Chairperson, Nolitha Fakude, said that this was to be made up ofR14bn to be spent on the replacement of its mines in the Secundacomplex and the balance for sustaining capital. Sasol's Secunda complex alone produces over 40mtpa of coal makingit the third largest producer in South Africa. Over 90% of the coalis used to produce high quality synthetic fuels and chemicals. "Sasol has entered a period of intense capital replacement and willreplace 60% of our operating capacity in Secunda in the next eightyears" said Hermann Wenhold, the managing director of Sasol Mining.This was after spending over R42bn in the past three years in SouthAfrica alone.
The new shaft complex, which will consist of three vertical shaftsand one decline shaft to a depth of 160m, is essentially areplacement for the current Twistdraai colliery that is coming tothe end of its economic life. The investment is expected to expandsupply to export markets and Sasol's synthetic fuel operationsuntil 2039 and will sustain 1600 jobs. The export tonnage produced is expected to be approximately 3.6 to4mtpa with 3.8mtpa of middlings product destined for the synfuelsplants and 2mtpa of discard. A 15000t bunker and a conveyor system approximately 20km long willtransport the coal to the beneficiation plants.
Staff, machinery and equipment will be transferred from theexisting Twistdraai operations to the new shaft in stages so thateventually 12 sections will produce 10.6mtpa from the 4 seam whichis between three and four metres wide. There are currently twooperating continuous miner sections with ramp up to full productionexpected in 2018. With regards to safety considerations, the mine will introduce arather nifty "proximity detection" device on the registered rescuepack and lamps for underground workers. This device will ensurethat moving machinery and equipment will shut down should theperson wearing the device come within two metres of the movingmachinery. Change rooms have also been updated in their design to giveemployees privacy during their ablutions.
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