The Coal Mining Industry in South Africa 2023

The Coal Mining Industry in South Africa

Although South African coal production volumes have been decreasing over the past decade, sales have increased, largely due to rising prices. The country was ranked the seventh-largest coal producer and was the fifth-largest exporter by volume in 2021. Low economic growth in South Africa, growing international opposition to coal mining and coal-fired power generation, Transnet’s underperformance on the coal export line that limits export capacity, and Eskom’s decommissioning of power stations are some of the challenges faced by the coal mining industry.

Environmental Concerns

Environmental concerns pose a major challenge to coal mining. The burning of coal is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions, and coal mining also has a severe impact on the environment extending beyond the immediate mining footprint. Mining companies are facing increasing pressure to cease their coal mining activities and some local financial institutions are scaling back their funding of coal mining projects.

Rail and Port Issues

Among the most significant issues affecting the industry are the inadequate infrastructure provided by Transnet to move export coal to Richards Bay Coal Terminal, and its underperformance on the line. Some coal producers use more expensive road transport to ports. Coal Companies have lost significant export opportunities. They have invested in drones and private security guards to reduce incidences of copper cable theft and vandalism on the rail line to the terminal.

Report Coverage

This report on the coal industry in South Africa includes comprehensive information on the size and state of the sector including production, price and trade statistics, as well as information on the major players, developments and corporate actions. There are profiles of 14 notable coal mining companies including Seriti Resources, Thungela Operations, Exxaro Resources, Sasol Mining, ARM Coal, Glencore and Canyon Coal. There are profiles of 10 coal testing laboratories including Mintek, the South African Bureau of Standards and Bureau Veritas Testing and Inspections South Africa.