Mmamantswe Coal Project

The Mmamantswe Coal Project is a notional coal mine and power station concept in Botswana floated by the Perth, Australia headquartered energy company, the Aviva Corporation.

In June 2007 Aviva Corporation entered into a heads of agreement with Mawana Minerals (Pty) Ltd of Botswana to form a joint venture over the Mmamantswe Coal Project. On its website the company states that it will "spend $US0.5M over 18 months upon which Mawana will grant it an exclusive right to earn a 90% Joint Venture interest in the project by undertaking a Bankable Feasibility Study." The coal deposit has not been explored since 1983 but the company states that the earlier exploration indicated three coal seams between 30 and 110 metres deep.

Despite limited information on the actual coal deposit, in June 2008 Aviva optimistically submitted an expression of interest to provide "1,000MW of baseload power production" to Eskom, the South African government-owned electricity utility, between 2012 and 2017.

The company has stated that its "team of energy experts" charged with developing the Coolimba Power Station project would also help "advance the Mmamantswe Project".

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * Botswana and coal
 * South Africa and coal