Coal is extracted here at Phalanndwa Colliery mine

The current economic status in South Africa focuses more on mining activities, as their additional way of fast-growing the economy. The coal which is obtained from collieries in South Africa ranges among the largest in the world to smaller-scale yield. Phalanndwa colliery is one of the other well-functioning mines in Mpumalanga province.

Menar academy so the importance of mining and proved their mission of imparting knowledge by offering free training to 20 journalists to visit an operating mine, Phalanndwa colliery outside the town of Delmas. As one of the trainees, when I first arrived there, I was amazed by the coal hills and a very big plant washing machine and realised that I’m going to be informed about the mining industry as a whole. Their planting machine operates 24/7 and they yield an average of 55% with the record of 140Kt per month. Their operation is subcontracted and is ran by Ingwenya plant contractors. At Phalanndwa colliery they mine 3 seams, which are the upper, main and lower seams, and most of the coal they mine are exported, said Alan Mabbett General Manager of Phalanndwa Colliery mine.

Worldwide coal provides us with heat to make electricity and steel, also is still regarded as the greatest minerals in the industrial world, fuelling the power stations in developing countries.

In South Africa, the indigenous energy resource base is dominated by coal, while internationally coal is the most widely used primary fuel. According to Alan Mabbett, the mine still has the total resources of about nine million tonnes (Mt) of coal, which means it will still produce coal for the upcoming seven years. Despite the obvious challenges of mining Phalanndwa mine still outshines itself in bringing social services to their respective community by offering internships, bursaries and in employing people from Delmas to alleviate poverty.

By Julie Mahlase