Western Coal Project
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Western Coal Project is a shelved coal mine in Hwange, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Mine Name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Western Coal Project | Hwange, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe | -18.3835, 26.47 (approximate) |
The map below shows the approximate location of the coal mine:
Project Details
Table 2: Project status
| Status | Status Detail | Project Type | Project Phase | Opening Year | Closing Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelved | Construction | New | Stage 1 | – | – |
Table 3: Operation details
| Capacity (Mtpa) | Production (Mtpa) | Year of Production | Mine Type | Mining Method | Mine Size (km2) | Mine Depth (m) | Workforce Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | – | – | Surface | – | – | 60.0* | – |
Table 4: Coal resources and destination
| Total Reserves (Mt) | Year of Total Reserves Recorded | Total Resources (Mt) | Coalfield | Coal Type | Coal Grade | Primary Consumer/ Destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90.0 | – | – | Hwange | Bituminous | Thermal | Hwange power station |
Table 5: Ownership and parent company
| Owner | Parent Company | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|
| Western Coal and Energy Company [100%] | Western Coal and Energy Company [100%] | Zimbabwe |
Expansion/Extension
Table 6: Project status
| Status | Status Detail | Project Type | Project Phase | Added Capacity (Mtpa)* | Start Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelved | Construction | Expansion | Stage 2 | – | – |
Note: The above section was automatically generated and is based on data from the Global Coal Mine Tracker May 2025 release.
Ownership Tree
This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
Background
The Western Coal Project is a proposed coal mine, owned the Western Coal and Energy Company, to produce 3.6 million tonnes per annum, in Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe.[1] According to Mining Zimbabwe, the company has spent US $20 million on the project and plans to supply the Hwange power station.
After China's pledge to end overseas coal financing, this project has sought other financial backers. The status of the project remains unclear.[2][3]
- Operator: Western Coal and Energy Company[1]
- Owner: Billy Rautenbach[1]
- Location: Hwange, Hwange District, Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe[1]
- Coordinates: -18.3835, 26.47 (approximate)
- Status: Shelved
- Capacity: 3.6 mtpa (150,000 tonnes/month in Phase 1; 300,000 tonnes/month in Phase 2)[1]
- Type: Surface[1]
- Projected operation: TBD[1]
- Coal Type: Bituminous (Thermal)[1]
- Number of Employees: 200[1]
- Life of Mine: 25 years[1]
- Mineable Reserve: approximately 90 million tonnes.[1]
- Source of financing:
Articles and Resources
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of world coal mines, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Mine Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Hwange Firm Plans to Build Two Power Plants, Mining Zimbabwe, July 17, 2020.
- ↑ Nelson Banya and Helen Reid,In Zimbabwe, coal power project seeks other backing after China's U-turn, Reuters, March 30, 2022
- ↑ Florence Tan,Zimbabwe to start operating new coal power unit by March, Reuters, February 23, 2023
