Mining
Mchenga mine to increase coal production
December 13, 2019 / Wahard Betha
Mining works at Mchenga
Mchenga Coal Mines Limited (MCM), which is one of the oldest mines in the country, has unveiled plans to extend and open new mining sites in its license area to increase its annual coal production from the current 12000 tonnes to 48000 by 2021.
MCM Mining Manager Munashe Dicha disclosed the plans in an interview with Mining & Trade Review during a media tour of the mine organised by the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining.
Dicha said the planned increase in production is aimed at meeting the demand of coal from its local customers.
He said: “It has been a long time since our customers started complaining that we, the local coal producers, are failing to meet their demands. We have located new sites that we plan to open as soon as possible to up production,”
“The sites include Phoka Mine, office block thus near our offices, and we also we want to extend the existing Mwandira mine.”
Dicha said the office block prospect has a huge reserve to support development of three mines.
He said the planned production increase will reduce the importation of coal from neighboring countries including Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Mchenga customers are spread across Malawi and include Limbe Leaf Tobacco Company, Cement Products, Kanengo Tobacco Processors, Central Poultry Feeds Group, East Metals, and Malawi Iron and Steel Corporation (Miscor).
Regional Mining Engineer for the Northern Region George Maneya commended Mchenga for its plans to increase production.
Maneya said: “Mchenga lies within the Livingstonia Coalfield where coal is of highest quality compared to the Sub Sahara coal.”
“So the idea for the company to increase production implies Malawi will produce more quality coal to meet the demands of the local market.”
He said if local companies increase their production to meet the domestic demand, the government will map out ways to reduce importation of coal from other countries, which is creating unfair competition with the local industry hence threatening the survival of local investments.
Mchenga also updated the journalists on its plans to kick-start construction works for the 100 MW Rukuru Power Plant by 2021.
“We already conducted a feasibility study which proved the viability of the project. We are currently working out agreements with other stakeholders to solicit funds for the project,” Dicha said.
Dicha said the plant will be connected to the national grid and the company will only tap 5MW for its operations.
Meanwhile, Mchenga is executing a corporate social responsibility programme in the area which includes provision of free health facilities and drugs to surrounding communities; provision of free portable water and; construction of school blocks and teachers’ houses; chief’s houses; playing fields; and renovation of roads.
MCM has also employed a bulk of its 236 employees from the surrounding community and has provided the employees and their families social amenities including a clinic, a primary school, kindergarten, a subsidized shop, sporting facilities, electricity, a club with pay television (DSTV), a maize mill and portable water.
Dicha said the company is also providing internship opportunities to students from Polytechnic University and technical colleges, and in-house training in Mining Engineering.
Mchenga has also embarked on an environmental rehabilitation exercise where by it is planting trees in worked out areas.
The company approximately planted 12000 tree seedlings in eroded areas and estimates that within 2-years, it will be able to start harvesting mine support timbers from its own rehabilitation plantations.
Coal at Mchenga Mine is extracted using Room and Pillar method, which involves the application of underground working variation of Board and Pillar configurations, a competitive method in ground control measures for stability and safety.
Coal Mining at Mchenga started in 1987 and a state owned mining company, the defunct Mining Investment and Development Corporation (MIDCOR), operated the Mine to May 1995 when it was privatised.
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Rehabilitation:
The establishment of a stable and self-sustaining ecosystem, but not necessarily the one that existed before mining began. In many cases, complete restoration may be impossible, but successful remediation, reclamation, and rehabilitation can result in the timely establishment of a functional ecosystem.
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Remediation:
The cleanup of the contaminated area to safe levels by removing or isolating contaminants. At mine sites, remediation often consists of isolating contaminated material in pre-existing tailings storage facilities, capping tailings and waste rock stockpiles with clean topsoil, and collecting and treating any contaminated mine water if necessary.
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