This list of mines in south africa is subsidiary to the list of mines article and lists working, defunct and future mines in the country and is organised by the primary mineral output. Gold mining took centre stage early, both because of its importance for the british and thus global monetary system and the profits to be made. The history of coal mining in south africa is closely linked with the economic development of the country. Presentation at the south african colliery engineers association at their 2011 annual general meeting dealing with the current opportunities and challenges facing the south african mining industry. However, as the world moves away from coal, south africa will need to consider the implications. Factboxbiggest coal miners in south africa reuters. However, the future of coal in south africa also faces many challenges, not the least of which is a lack of a clear strategy for the future. Amatala mining services ams was established in 2008 with the sole purpose of servicing the coal mining industry. Its role since 1923 as a primary source of energy has steered the. Teba limited is a service organization primarily responsible for the recruitment of mineworkers for the south african mining industry. Introduction association of mine managers south africa ammsa. In 2009, the countrys diamond industry was the fourth largest in the world. National coal strategy for south africa minerals council south africa. We only included companies with a market capitalisation of more than r200 million at the end of june.
Turning to account south africas mineral resources in the safest, healthiest, most efficient, costeffective and sustainable manner possible recognising that people are at the heart of our industry with focus on improving skills, health, quality of life and fulfilment of employees. The primary impacts arise from mining, particularly underground mining, largely because south african coal mines are relatively shallow. South africas mining industries has propelled the development of the country. Highlighting trends in the south african mining industry 3 2.
Out of 151 countries, south africa loses, on average, the 12th highest amount of money through illicit financial outflows. For background on sustainable development as this relates to mining in south africa, please refer to section 2. We promote formation of sustainable partnership and relations with our clients. The 2018 financial year proved to be a challenging year for south african mining companies. South african mining, coal, gold and base minerals snippet view 2001. As the evidence that follows will demonstrate, the role of mining in the. The wasteful bord and pillar mining method was common and. More than ever before the south african industry is deeply conscious of its role in society, its obligations to its host communities. South african mining, coal, gold and base minerals. Statistics south africa, 2017 report 200102 2015 38 pages isbn 9780621453447 a complete set of stats sa publications is available at stats sa library and the following libraries. Coal mines in south africa play an important role in the countrys economy, with 77% of all primary energy needs being provided for by coal. Opportunities and challenges facing the south african mining. South africa produces over 250 million tonnes of coal every year.
South africa also exports nearly one quarter of all coal, while coal mines in south africa, and their direct supporting industries, employ roughly 55 000 people. The conference is jointly organised by the southern african institute of mining and metallurgy saimm, the association of mine managers of south africa ammsa and the south african colliery managers assocation sacma, with valued input from the department of mineral resources, chamber of mines, the mine health and safety council, the. South africa is highly coal and energy intensive, and has. Market capitalisation for these top 39 companies declined by 9% from r910 billion. Although gold, diamonds, platinum and coal are the most wellknown among the minerals and metals mined, south africa also hosts chrome, vanadium, titanium and a number of other lesser minerals. Estimation of capital costs for establishing coal mines in south africa moshe mohutsiwa a research report submitted to the faculty of engineering and the built environment, university of the witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of master of science in engineering johannesburg, 2015. In this paper we examine whether this perception of the role ofmining in the south african economy remains justied.
Coal mining in south africa it was mining that gave south africa its current shape through processes from the 1880s to 1910. South africa is also a major producer of coal, manganese and chrome. A need for a more efficient and collaborative supply chain. Mining is south africas third largest business sector after agriculture and manufacturing contributing almost 10% to the countrys gdp. The discovery of diamonds in the late 1870s led to expansion of the mines in order to meet the growing demand for coal. Internationally, coal is the most widely used primary fuel, accounting for about 36 percent of the total fuel consumption of the worlds electricity production. National library of south africa, pretoria division national library of south africa, cape town division. South africa is the worlds largest primary producer of platinum with a share of 75% of the global supply. The largest coal deposits in south africa are to be found in the ecca deposits, a stratum of the karoo supergroup, dating from the permian period, between 280 and 250 ma. Highlighting trends in the south african mining industry globally there is a drive to improve transparency with regard to tax payments made to governments and how those funds are utilised for the development and upliftment of those countries and their people. Calls to decrease the worlds dependence on coal as an energy source are well intentioned. Coal mining on the highveld and its implications for future. Southern africa and east africa top this, with many countries topping over 7% growth.
Turning to account south africas mineral resources in the safest, healthiest, most efficient, costeffective and sustainable manner possible recognising that people are at the heart of our industry with focus on improving. We also follow case studies that, in our view, provide good examples that support. Coal mines in south africa intelligence and info africa. The journal of the south african institute of mining and metallurgy. Nearly 80% of the energy needs of south africa are taken care of by coal and over 90% of the coal consumed on the entire african continent is produced in south africa. There are three different mining methods that are commonly used in underground mines in. Mining in south africa makes a meaningful contribution to the south african economy. Largescale and profitable mining started with the discovery of a diamond on the banks of the orange river in 1867 by erasmus jacobs and the subsequent discovery and exploitation of the kimberley pipes a few years later. That position was to a large extent mirrored by south african bulk commodity producers with iron ore, coal, manganese and chrome performing very well. Mining in south africa was once the main driving force behind the history and development of africa s most advanced and richest economy. A weakening rand over the period somewhat shielded the south african mining industry from the decline, with rand prices remaining relatively flat. We also follow case studies that, in our view, provide good examples that support our previous observations and suggest the potential for a.
Victor munnik mvula trust with geraldine hochmann mvula trust, mathews hlabane sa green. Pdf coal has been an important commodity in south africa for many years and it is one of the oldest mining enterprises in the country. The african continent is known across the world for its natural beauty and even more so for its mineral wealth. Two of the biggest coal mining projects in south africa are surface mining operations at the mafube colliery and the new largo project. The coal mining in south africa to 2020 report comprehensively covers the countrys historical and forecast data on coal production by grade, reserves, consumption by type and trade by type to.
For practical purposes stone, marble and other quarries may be included in this list. So, in case you want to venture into the business, you can always refer to this list of coal mines in south africa and rest assured that you will be dealing with the best miners on the continent of africa. South africa in particular has a massive mining industry it is a major source of diamonds, gold, platinum and coal, and is home to most of the deepest mines in the world. Coal mining on the highveld and its implications for. Mining in south africa was once the main driving force behind the history and development of africas most advanced and richest economy. South africa s indigenous energy resource base is dominated by coal. Coal has been an important commodity in south africa for many years and it is one of the oldest mining enterprises in the country. It proposes a mining sector contribution to economic activity in the region. We have taken a snapshot view of several mining regions across africa and share some of what is happening with regard to policy, infrastructure and funding. The scenarios the study examines three future pathways for south africa s coal sector that allow us to assess key risks and opportunities in south africa s coal transition. Gold mining has become one the main factors to the growth of south africa. While most of south africas energy comes from coal, it is striking that government has no integrated coal policy.
Investments in mining had an exploitation culture in south africa and. Indeed, when it comes to coal mining, south africa stands proudly at the top with no close competition on the entire continent. The primary impacts arise from mining, particularly underground mining, largely because south african coal mines are. It is estimated that almost 75% of this coal is used domestically. List of coal mines in south africa mine exploration. Lower use would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and less demand would lower the environmental risk of coal mining. South africas indigenous energy resource base is dominated by coal. Coal production began in 1870 to supply energy to the kimberly diamond fields. South african coal mining holdings limited sacmh is a junior coal producer with operations in the ermelo breyten district of the mpumalanga province of south africa. South africas junior coal miners, some of them tiny producers, are facing intense pressure to consolidate, but the varying quality of their deposits and what are often poor locations will hold. Mining grew with discovery of diamonds and increased with the discovery of gold.
Minerals and africas development africa mining vision. In 2009 south africa was the fourth largest diamond industry in the world. The benefits and challenges associated with coal in south. Aditnow the definitive online resource for the mine explorer and mining historian mine explorer and mining history videos on youtube. As the coal seams here are buried too deep beneath the ground for opencast mining, they are deep mined using a room and pillar technique. Mining conditions in south africa mining in africa. About 77 percent of south africas primary energy needs are provided by coal. Aug 16, 2012 with south africas economy built on gold and diamond mining, the sector is an important foreign exchange earner, with gold accounting for more than onethird of exports. The potential of coal wastes in south africa saimm.
The state of mining in africa striking a balance, is a consolidated point of view of the deloitte mining leaders across africa backed by research. Aditnow the definitive online resource for the mine explorer and mining historian mine explorer and mining history videos on youtube connect with other mine explorers on facebook. The history of coal mining in south africa afri coal. In this years edition of state of mining in africa in the spotlight, we take a further look at, and reflect back on, our observations to see how the broad industry is progressing. Some of the exploration projects recently conducted in this region includes the waterberg coal joint project conducted by sekoko resources. The social and environmental consequences of coal mining. First, we examine a leastcost energy pathway that assumes no.
The south african coal industry he growth of coal mining in south africa as a dominant source of energy has a long history. Mining grew with discovery of diamonds and increased with the. Introduction association of mine managers south africa. This decrease is in line with global mining counterparts who are also struggling with higher costs and lower prices.
The coal industry employed 92,230 people in 2019 86,647 in 2018, representing about 19% of total employment in the mining sector. The social and environmental consequences of coal mining in. Around 77% of south africa s energy needs are directly derived from coal and 92% of coal consumed on the african continent is produced in south africa. The ecca group is extensive, covering around two thirds of south africa much of it covered by slightly younger rocks. Having developed a reputation as specialist in thin seam open cast and underground coal mining, sacmh produces and processes coal products for international markets.
Article pdf available november 2011 with 864 reads. The mining industries employing basotho miners are mainly in the free state, mpumalanga, north west, limpopo and the gauteng provinces, south africa iom, 2007. Mining historically, south africa has been a leading global supplier of minerals and mineral products, and it retains an important role in mining and minerals demonstrated by 55 minerals being produced from some 11 mines in 2005. South africa produces in excess of 255 million most from witbank tonnes of coal 2011 estimate and consumes almost three quarters of that domestically. Coal mining in south africa is centred on the highveld, with roughly 60% of the countrys deposits located in emalahleni witbank and surrounding areas. Study of sand mining and related environmental problems along. Coal mines in south africa initially had relatively low levels of mechanisation and extraction rates. South africa has a shortage of doctors, medical staff, clinics and hospitals. Its effects however, are more visible locally amongst mining communities and in the rural areas of the country.
Opportunities and challenges facing the south african. Commercial coal mining commenced in the eastern cape near molteno in 1864. South african mining development association charter noncompliancy, transfer pricing, lack of transformation within the. South african coal the university of cape town graduate school. There is tremendous interest in africa for growth opportunities due to the continents wealth of minerals and over 1,800 mining projects in various stages of development or operation in south africa alone.
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