coal beneficiation plant south africa

Coal Beneficiation Plants in South Africa: Overview and Key Players

South Africa is a major coal producer and exporter, relying on coal for electricity generation (via Eskom) and synthetic fuel production (Sasol). Coal beneficiation (or coal washing) is essential to improve coal quality by removing impurities like rock, shale, sulfur, and other contaminants before use or export.

Key Coal Beneficiation Plants in South Africa
Several major coal beneficiation plants operate in South Africa, primarily in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natal. Some of the notable facilities include:

# 1. Grootegeluk Coal Mine & Beneficiation Plant (Limpopo)
– Operated by Exxaro Resources.
– One of the largest coal beneficiation plants globally.
– Supplies coal to Eskom’s Medupi Power Station and exports high-quality coal.

# 2. Leeuwpan Coal Mine & Washing Plant (Mpumalanga)
– Owned by Exxaro.
– Produces thermal coal for domestic and export markets.

# 3. New Vaal Colliery (Free State)
– Operated by South32.
– Supplies Eskom’s Lethabo Power Station with beneficiated coal.

# 4. Phola Coal Processing Plant (Mpumalanga)
– Joint venture between Anglo American and BHP Billiton.
– One of the largest coal washing facilities in SA (~16.6 Mtpa capacity).

# 5. Zibulo Colliery & Coal Washery (Mpumalanga)
– Operated by Anglo American Coal.
– Supplies Eskom and exports via Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT).

# 6. Mafube Coal Mine & Washery (Mpumalanga)
– Joint venture between Exxaro and Thungela Resources.
– Produces both domestic and export-grade coal.

Technology Used in South African Coal Beneficiation
– Dense Medium Separation (DMS): Widely used for coarse coal cleaning.
– Jigging: Effective for coarse to medium-sized coal particles.
– Froth Flotation: Used for fine coal recovery.
– Spiral Concentrators: Applied for fine coal processing.