Morupule Coal Mine

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The Morupule coal mine is an underground mine producing approximately 2.8 million tonnes per annum, near Palapye, Botswana.[1] It is wholly-owned by Minerals Development Company Botswana (MDCB).[2]

Location

The map below shows the exact location for the mine.

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Background

The Anglo American Corporation received a mining lease in 1966 and developed a colliery at the Morupule coalfield, which opened in 1973.[3] MCM ownership was transferred to Debswana Diamond Company in 2000, when Anglo disinvested its operations in Botswana. In 2016, the De Beers interest in MCM (held under Debswana) was acquired by the Minerals Development Company Botswana, giving them 100% ownership.[4]

Morupule Coal Mine has a mining lease area covering approximately 42531 hectares, and has four resource blocks: MCM 1, MCM 2, MCM 3 North, and MCM 3 South. The main underground mine is currently operating at its MCM 1 resource.[5]

Today, the mine supplies power to the Morupule B power station. It is one of two currently operating mines in Botswana (although more are planned); the other is the Masama coal mine.

Expansion

Morupule currently has an expansion plan, called Project Motheo, to increase production at the Morupule coal mine through the construction of an open pit mine.[5]

In 2021, the proposed addition of a second mine at the site would increase the expected production of the mine by 35% to 3.8 million tonnes, up from a 2.8 million tonnes per annum. [6] In April 2021, a 5-year mining services contract was awarded to a joint venture between the local citizen-owned company Bothakga Burrow and South-African-based Basil Read Mining.[5] Groundbreaking began in November 2021, while the project's commissioning phase, which was originally scheduled to start by December 2021, is now scheduled for spring 2022.[7][8]

The mine opened in September 2023.[9]

The Motheo project will mine the MCM 3 resource block which has potential to supply power station grade coal for over 30 years.[5]

Project Details

  • Operator: Morupule Coal Mine Limited
  • Owner: Minerals Development Company Botswana (MDCB)[2]
  • Location: Palapye, Botswana[1]
  • GPS Coordinates: -22.515137, 27.024339 (exact)
  • Status Operating[1]
  • Production: 2.8 million tonnes per annum[10][6]
  • Total Resources: 4285 million tonnes[5]
  • Mineable Reserves: 40 million tonnes (Proven), 1200 million tonnes (Inferred)[3]
  • Coal Type: Subbituminous
  • Mine Size: 425.3 km2[5]
  • Mine Type: Underground and surface[1]
  • Start Year: 1973[1]
  • Source of Financing:

Project Expansion Details

  • Status: Operating[9]
  • Capacity: 1.4 million tonnes[9]
  • Mineable Reserves:
  • Start Year: 2022[9]
  • Source of Funding:

Articles and resources

Related GEM.wiki articles

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Morupule Coal Mine,Product, Company Website, accessed November 2020.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Morupule Coal Mine: Seam to Energy, Morupule Coal Mine website, accessed July 2022.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Morupule Coal Mine Company History, Company Website, accessed November 2020.
  4. Morupule Coal Mine Company Profile, Morupule Coal Mine website, accessed July 2022.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 "Basil Read and local Botswana company to develop Motheo coal mine for Morupule", International Mining, April 28, 2021.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Reuters, "Botswana’s Morupule to boost coal output by 35% with new mine", Reuters website, Accessed March 2021
  7. Opencast Mining, Morupule Coal Mine website, accessed July 2022.
  8. "Motheo Project Groundbreaking Ceremony", Morupule Coal Mine Facebook page, November 26, 2021.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Botswana's Morupule aims to boost coal output by 50% with new mine, Reuters, September 28, 2022
  10. Morupule Coal Mine Awards Opencast Contract, The Monitor, April 26, 2021