World News

IN BRIEF

RUSSIA

On 11 November 2021, the Board of Directors of National Transportation Co. appointed Mikhail Kuznetsov as the company’s CEO. Kuznetsov has been on the Board of Directors of JSC SUEK since 2020.

SOUTH AFRICA

Edenville Energy Plc has provided an update regarding the company’s Rukwa Coal Project in southwest Tanzania for October 2021, as it continues to ramp up production and sales to a targeted output of 3000 tpm of washed coal later this year. In October 2021, the company mined 2240 t of run of mine coal and produced 1024 t of washed coal through its wash plant, representing an increase of over 150% on the September 2021 figures. MEXICO

Allegiance Coal Ltd has announced the first New Elk cargo of metallurgical coal was loaded and sailed week commencing 08 November from the Port of Guaymas in northern Mexico, to China. The event marks a significant achievement for Allegiance, returning the New Elk Mine in southern Colorado to production just five months earlier. The company acknowledges the eff orts of its workforce at the New Elk Mine, along with Union Pacific Rail, its sales agent, M Resources, and its customs agent at the Port of Guymas, Segrove. Focus is now on executing the next cargo more quickly and more eff iciently as production at the mine continues to improve. Meanwhile, the Black Warrior Mine in Alabama loaded its first barge the weekend of 13 – 14 November, as it starts to move coal to the McDuff ie Terminal in the Port of Mobile for the second cargo set to sail in the first 10 days of December.

WORLD NEWS

RUSSIA SUEK invests in Cat system upgrades at Russian V. D. Yalevskogo Mine

Caterpillar will deliver a complete armoured face conveyor system upgrade to Siberian Coal Energy Company, SUEK, for its V. D. Yalevskogo Mine, located in the Kemerovo region, Siberia, Russia. The order includes the Cat® AFC PF6 Armoured Face Conveyor, BSL PF6 Beam Stage Loader, SK1114 Crusher Station, SMB 1600/3500 Belt Return Units, and a steering system including 45 sets for 225 roof supports, plus a spare parts package.

The armoured face conveyor and belt return are powered by three, 1200-kW Cat CST65 drive systems, off ering 2133 kN (479 415 ft -lb) short-duration, maximum torque output. Specially designed for long, high-capacity faces, the controlled start transmission (CST) drive systems provide no-load motor start-up, synchronised soft -start and heavy-load start-up capabilities, as well as accurate load sharing and instant, eff ective overload protection.

The longwall panel at the Yalevskogo Mine averages a 3.8 m (12.5 ft ) seam height and 400 m (1312 ft ) face length. With a minimum targeted productivity of at least 4400 tpy, the mine’s targeted average production is up to approximately 5 million tpy of a thermal coal.

Installation and technical support will be provided by Cat dealer, Vostochnaya Technika. The complete armoured face conveyor system has an anticipated late-2Q22 delivery date. AUSTRALIA Golding and CS Energy sign Kogan Creek Mine contract extension

NRW Holdings Ltd has advised that its wholly owned subsidiary, Golding Contractors Pty Ltd, has signed a contract with Aberdare Collieries Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of CS Energy Pty Ltd, to extend the current contract mining agreement (CMA) beyond 30 June 2022.

Under the terms of the CMA, the term is extended four years until 30 June 2026, with an option for CS Energy to extend the contract for up to another four years. The contract value for the initial four-year extension is approximately AUS$150 million.

The contract extension represents the third mining contract term and life-of-mine to date for Golding and CS Energy at Kogan Creek Mine, with Golding performing the civil works in 2006 before mining commenced in 2007.

Under this new arrangement, all major plant equipment will be supplied by Golding, requiring a total new capital spend of approximately AUS$11 million in the first year. All the remaining fleet required is currently operating on site and is owned by Golding.

Golding will continue to employ approximately 70 people at the mine, most of which live in the local Chinchilla or broader South East Queensland regions.

DIARY DATES

POWERGEN International

26 – 28 January 2022 Dallas, USA www.powergen.com

International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC)

31 January – 02 February 2022 Melbourne, Australia & Virtual https://imarcglobal.com

IME 2022

15 – 18 February 2022 Kolkata, India www.miningexpoindia.com

MINEXCHANGE 2022 SME Annual Conference & Expo

27 February – 02 March 2022 Salt Lake City, USA www.smeannualconference.com

Future of Mining Australia 2022

28 – 29 March 2022 Sydney, Australia https://australia.future-of-mining.com

Coal Processing Technology (CoalProTec) Conference & Exhibition 2022

25 – 27 April 2022 Lexington, USA www.coalprepsociety.org/ViewEvent. aspx?ID=7

Electra Mining Africa

05 – 09 September 2022 Johannesburg, South Africa www.electramining.co.za

To stay informed about the status of industry events and any potential postponements or cancellations of events due to COVID-19, visit World Coal’s events page: www.worldcoal.com/events

WORLD NEWS

SOUTH AFRICA New investments to extend Kangra Mine life beyond 2031

Coal mining company Kangra, a subsidiary of mining investment company Menar, is nearing the completion of the construction of the Twyfelhoek Adit, which forms part of the Kusipongo coal reserve. Construction started on 6 April 2021 and is on course to be completed by mid-December 2021, with the first coal expected by 1Q22.

Twyfelhoek has met all the regulatory requirements. The company has allocated a capital budget of ZAR 153.6 million to establish the shaft and the project is progressing well. The access road to the Adit was completed on 13 September 2021, and the powerlines and water reticulation connection will be completed by mid-December 2021.

Agreements were reached with aff ected families living within 500 m of the mine to be relocated, and Kangra is in the process of building the families new homes using local contractors, with the construction due to be completed by 1Q22.

Kangra also invested in new and reconditioned mining equipment to the value of ZAR 45 million to mine the Kusipongo reserves. As part of the mine’s social and labour plan commitments, a project will commence in 1Q22 to supply water to the Donkerhoek community.

RUSSIA Vostochnaya Mining Company implements radio communication

Vostochnaya Mining Co. is switching to digital operational radio communications at its key mining asset, the Solntsevsky coal mine. The system has been introduced to systematise and unify the key production processes of dispatching the mining and transport complex. The system helps to collect critical information when responding to or preventing emergency situations. The system provides not only control of technological processes, but also significantly increases the eff iciency of production management.

At the cut, a solution consisting of modern walkie-talkies, mobile applications, dispatch and control platforms was applied. This solution provides versatile services, including instant one-to-one and one-to-many, full duplex calls. In addition, the use of digital communication has expanded the geographic boundaries of interaction; a specialist, brought into the new system, can now interact from anywhere in the world.

The project was implemented jointly with Haiter LLC and MTS PJSC. This is the first project for Haiter LLC in the Russian market of the Hytera Hytalk PoC solution (radio communication works through the public 4G network). The company has adapted the control and dispatching consoles for VGK LLC.

WORLD NEWS

JAPAN Mitsubishi Heavy Industries completes IGCC plant construction

Aconsortium led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd (MHI) has completed the construction of an integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plant in the town of Hirono, in Fukushima Prefecture’s Futaba District. The new plant has been formally handed over to the customer, Hirono IGCC Power GK. Operation of the new facility, which is a high-eff iciency, clean commercial power plant incorporating the world’s most advanced coal gasification technologies, got underway on 19 November 2021.

The project called for the creation of one of the world’s largest IGCC configurations, roughly twice the scale of the previously completed Nakoso Unit 10 (former IGCC demonstration plant). The new facility is the second IGCC plant of such large scale in commercial use, following the installation constructed for Nakoso IGCC Power GK that went into operation in Fukushima Prefecture’s Iwaki City in April 2021.

The Hirono project was completed with integration of next-generation thermal power generation technologies from MHI – including Mitsubishi Power – and three group companies. Mitsubishi Power, a power solutions brand of MHI, manufactured the core air-blown IGCC system, including the coal gasification furnace; Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd (MHIENG) was in charge of the gas refining equipment; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation oversaw production of generators and electrical equipment; and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Power Environmental Solutions, Ltd was responsible for the wastewater treatment equipment.

The Hirono IGCC plant adopts a high-eff iciency gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) system, integrating gas and steam turbines. Coal is gasified in a gasification furnace at a high temperature under high pressure; sulfur, ash, and the like are separated out and removed; and the refined gas is used as fuel to drive the gas turbine. Combusted waste gas is fed to a waste heat recovery boiler, and the generated steam is used to operate the steam turbine. Power generation eff iciency is 48%. This high eff iciency contributes to reduction of carbon emissions.

The IGCC plant construction project undertaken by Hirono IGCC Power GK incorporates the hopes and expectations of all stakeholders that the new plant, featuring the world’s most advanced thermal power generation technologies, will contribute to the creation of the local industrial infrastructure, and thereby to Fukushima’s regional recovery.

INDONESIA Cokal provides BBM Project update

Cokal Ltd has completed the purchase of the Batu Luhung site for its permanent jetty for the BBM project and has completed LiDAR and bathymetric surveys of the site. BBM has appointed consultants to design the coal stockpiles, conveyors, barge loader, fuel storage, power supply, laboratory, weighbridge, and off ice.

A temporary crossing of the Mohing River has been established to enable road clearing to proceed ahead while the Mohing River bridge is being built. Construction commenced on the Mohing River bridge, the biggest bridge on this road, and is proceeding to plan.

BBM has deployed additional equipment to upgrade the road to access its coal mining areas, while at the same time upgrading the road profile to be suitable for use as a long-term coal haulage road. Upgrading will require the team to widen the road, reduce road gradients, spread sub-base rock where required, compact the sub-base, and improve drainage to final standard.

Aft er the Mohing River bridge has been constructed, only one major bridge will be required in the last 26 km of road to the mine. The most diff icult section of the road reconstruction is now behind the company.

Land compensation has been prioritised so road clearing can proceed unhindered. This is a major element of construction in Kalimantan to ensure indigenous villagers are fairly compensated for the impact on their agricultural land. Two teams are working simultaneously to speed up the process.

Cokal has signed an MoU with other users of the road to conduct a joint survey for the road from 52 km to 4 km, which is the intersection road to BBM’s jetty at Batu Luhung.