Zimbabwe and coal

In 2011 it was announced that Zimbabwe, which currently imports virtually all of its oil needs, averaging roughly 14,000 barrels per day, is seeking to expand its indigenous energy resources, particularly coal.

In Sep. 2011, Obert Mpofu of Zimbabwe Mines and Mining Development Minister said that the country had awarded 20 licenses for coal exploration and mining. The five firms awarded licenses were Makomo Investments, WK Blasting, Clidder, Apex and Liberation Mining. The majority of the 20 companies receiving prospecting licenses are joint ventures with Zimbabwean partners. In addition, the Zimbabwe Electricity Regulatory Commission recently licensed 13 independent power projects.

Business research and consulting firm Frost and Sullivan reports that Zimbabwe has coal reserves that will approximately last the next 200 years at a production output of 5,000 tons per annum, with the coal reserves "being suitable for providing feedstock for coal-powered thermal power stations."

Proposed coal plants
China's Guangdong Bureau of Coal Geology plans to invest $3.5 billion to build a 1,200 megawatt thermal power plant in Zimbabwe, according to September 2012 media reports. The company said its proposed budget "is about $3.5 billion for a 120 million watt plant." In July 2012, Energy Minister Elton Mangoma told parliament that China Railway International, a subsidiary of China Railway Group and Zimbabwe's state power utility ZESA were planning to jointly run a coal mine that would supply a proposed 1,000 MW thermal power station.

The Zimbabwe Energy Minister has stated that a French consortium had been granted a licence to build a 2,000 MW thermal power plant in Zimbabwe for US$3 billion.

Coal plant expansions
In 2012 Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Tendai Biti said negotiations were underway with China for a $350 million loan to expand the Kariba South power station to provide an additional 300 MW of power to the current 750 MW. China's Sino Hydro is the sole bidder for the Kariba South project.

Proposed coal mines

 * Lubimbi coal mine

Coal mining companies

 * Hwange Colliery Company

International articles

 * Global use and production of coal
 * Australia and coal
 * 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