Leeuwpan Coal Mine

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The Leeuwpan coal mine is a surface mine owned by Exxaro and located about 10 kilometers south-east of Delmas, Mpumalanga, South Africa.[1]

In 2021, Exxaro sold the mine to Overlooked Colliery, however, Exxaro reports that the divestment process was stalled and eventually stopped in late 2022.[2][3]

Location

The satellite image below shows the exact location of the project near Delmas, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

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Background

Leeuwpan Mine is a conventional open-pit mine which uses modified terrace configurations and truck-and-shovel operations. Coal is processed using jigging technology for the top coal layer and dense medium separation for the bottom layer.

The principal domestic markets for production are the metals and power-generating industries which consume 2.5 Mtpa of its run-of-mine coal.[4]

In 2020, Exxaro announced plans to sell Leeuwpan following a strategic review of its portfolio.[5] Despite the mine being sold to the black-owned mining entity Overlooked Colliery in 2021, in its 2022 annual report, Exxaro states that its disposal of Leeuwpan has been "withdrawn until further notice."[2][3] As of 2023, the mine remains owned by Exxaro Coal, a wholly owned subsidiary of the South African mining company Exxaro.[6]

Mine Expansion

Leeuwpan recently underwent a life extension project which Exxaro proposed would allow the mine to operate an additional 7 years.[7] Completed in 2021, it included the relocation of 49 households and the re-alignment of the existing R50 provincial road and Silica Mine Road.[8]

Water Rights

In April 2019, a report by the Centre of Environmental Rights found that found eight coal mining companies in Mpumalanga had failed to comply with water use licences and threatened the quality and availability of water in the area. This included the Leeuwpan coal mine.[9]

According to an article by The Citizen, "The research revealed that not one of the companies took responsibility for the contamination of rivers caused by water leaving their sites during rainy conditions."[9]

Project Details

  • Operator: Exxaro Coal Mpumalanga Pty Ltd
  • Owner: Exxaro Coal Mpumalanga Pty Ltd
  • Location: 10 km south-east of the town of Delmas, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa[1]
  • GPS Coordinates -26.173979, 28.732841[1]
  • Mine Status: Operating[1]
  • Start Year: 1992[10]
  • Capacity: 3.71 million tonnes
  • Total Resource: 81.5 million tonnes[10]
  • Mineable Reserves: 43.4 million tonnes[10]
  • Coal Type: Thermal & metallurgical[1]
  • Mine Size: 4,269 hectares[10]
  • Mine Type: Surface, open cut[1]
  • Number of Employees: 600[1]

Articles and Resources

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Leeuwpan Operations, Exxaro website, accessed August 10, 2020.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Exxaro sells Coal Central operations to Overlooked Colliery", Mining Weekly, April 2021.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Exxaro Resources Limited Consolidated Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Report 2022, Exxaro website, accessed October 2023.
  4. "Leeuwpan", Exxaro website, Archived from the original on 21 May 2010, accessed October 2023.
  5. Reuters, "S.African miner Exxaro to sell Leeuwpan and Exxaro Coal Central", Reuters website, accessed March 2021.
  6. "Our Group structure", Exxaro website, May 2010.
  7. Exxaro Integrated Reports 2019: Business resilience, Exxaro website, accessed October 2023.
  8. "Project Overview: Leeuwpan Life Extension", Exxaro website, Accessed October 2023.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Sinesipho Schrieber, "Dept must act against coal mines polluting water – CER," The Citizen, April 12, 2019.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Exxaro Resources Limited Consolidated Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Report 2021, Exxaro website, accessed September 2022.

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