Continental Coal

Continental Coal is a coal mining company operating in South Africa and listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.

Coal projects
Continental has two operating coal mines. These are:


 * Vlakvarkfontein coal mine near Delmas in South Africa. The mine is projected to produce 1.2 million tonnes of thermal coal in 2011. The project, which was commissioned in mid-2010, is expected to have a 10 year life. ; and
 * Ferreira coal mine near Ermelo in South Africa. The mine is projected to produce 500,000 tonnes of thermal coal in 2011. The project, which was commissioned in 2008 and bought by Continteal in late 2010, is forecast to continue through to mid 2012.

Proposed coal projects
The company has four projects which it classes as "development projects". These are the:


 * De Wittekrans Complex
 * Vlakplaats coal project
 * Mooifontein coal project
 * Wesselton II and Leiden coal project

In September 2011, Continental Coal signed an agreement with EDF Trading for EDF to acquire Continental’s production of export thermal coal from the Vlakvarkfontein, Vaalbank and Project X mines for a period of 20 years. EDF Trading is a wholly-owned subsidiary of EDF S.A., and blends and converts physical commodities across the wholesale energy markets into a portfolio of assets, combined with those of the EDF Group businesses. EDF Trading, under the terms of the deal, agreed to provide the Group with a US$20 million “coal loan” through an advance purchase of forecast thermal coal exports, which Continental Coal said it will use to develop two more thermal coal mines in 2011 (in addition to its operating Vlakvarkfontein and Ferreira mines), targeting a ROM production rate of 7Mtpa by the end of 2012.

Coal Transport
The company also has the Penumbra thermal coal project in South Africa’s Ermelo coalfield. The mine is expected to start production in the second quarter of 2012 and full production is to be reached in the third quarter of 2012. The coal is to be exported through the Richards Bay Coal Terminal.

Public relations firm
On a September 2011 media release Contintental lists David Tasker from Professional Public Relations as its contact.

Contact Details
Website: http://www.conticoal.com/

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * South Africa and coal
 * Richards Bay Coal Terminal