Tanzania and coal

Tanzania, a country located in East Africa, possesses a considerable resource of low sulphur coal. Currently coal is exploited only on a small scale at Kiwira Coal Mine that operates in the Songwe-Kiwira Coalfield. There is potential for export to neighbouring African and Indian Ocean countries.

Kiwira Coal Mine
In June 2011, China Energy and Mines minister William Ngeleja said the country will invest $400 million in Tanzania’s Kiwira coal mine project estimated to generate 200 megawatts of electricity. The money comes under a soft loan arrangement. Five groups, including Tanzania's National Social Security Fund, applied to run the project, before the government accepted China’s offer. It was announced in September 2011 that the mine would be run by the Chinese government, which invested 400 million US dollars in the mining project.

Mchuchuma Coal Mine
In September 2011 China's Sichuan Hongda Co. Ltd. signed a $3 billion deal with Tanzania to mine coal and iron ore in Tanzania. The investment involves construction of the Mchuchuma Coal Mine and an accompanying 600-megawatt (MW) thermal power station. It is estimated that Mchuchuma coal deposits have more than 480 million tonnes of coal reserves.

Proposed coal-fired stations

 * Dar es Salaam Power Station
 * Mbalawala Power Station
 * Mbeya Power Station
 * Mchuchuma Power Station

Citizens Groups Campaigning on Climate Change

 * Earthlife Africa
 * Climate Justice Now
 * groundWork
 * Federation for a Sustainable Environment

Related SourceWatch articles

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 * Britain and coal
 * China and coal
 * Colombia and coal
 * Germany and coal
 * Indonesia and coal
 * Japan and coal
 * New Zealand and coal
 * South Africa and coal
 * United States and coal