Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Dorstfontein Coal Mine

Dorstfontein currently consists of an operational coal mine, a Greenfield project (Dorstfontein East) and a Brownfield project (Dorstfontein West). As part of Mmakau Mining diversification strategy, the company purchased 26% equity in Total Coal South Africa' Dorstfontein asset.
Dorstfontein Colliery

Dorstfontein is located east from Kriel in South Africa's Mpumalanga province and mines 1 Million run of mine tons from underground operations in the no. 2 seam. It produces high quality coal which is sought after by the international steam coal market and local ferrometal industry. Mmakau has export allocation through Richards Bay Coal Terminal and Total Coal markets the coal on behalf of Mmakau. Dorstfontein 2 seam produces 700 000 sales ton per annum for the export and domestic metallurgical market.

Dorstfontein is nearing the end of its production life Q4 2011 and will be replaced by the Dorstfontein West project in 2012.
Dorstfontein West

Dorstfontein West is currently in project phase and the plan is to mine the 4 seam with a combination of open cut and underground methods for the next 20 years. The project will make use of the existing process plant infrastructure and mine about 1 Million run of mine tons per annum. The plant will wash about 600 000 sales tons of a 5400kcal product for the export market and the plan is to transport the coal to the new Dorstfontein East mine which will have a rapid load out facility.
Dorstfontein East

The Dorstfontein east project is currently in construction and commissioning phase and will be operational Q3 2011. Dorstfontein East is a Greenfield project that consists of a wash plant with a plant feed of up to 4 Million tons per annum, stockpile facilities and a 14 km overland conveyor to the rail loop with a rapid load out facility. The plan is to mine the 4 and 2 seam initially with open cut methods and later in the life of mine with underground sections. Access to underground blocks will be via adits established in the opencast high walls. The combined production rate will be about 3.2 Million run of mine tons per annum to meet sales of 2.0 Million tons per annum over 20 years for a 5400kcal export product. Mmakau Mining was awarded 350 000 tons export allocation in Richards Bay Coal Terminal's phase V expansion project and it will be allocated to the Dorstfontein East Mine.

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