Mining & Trade News

By Tawonga Nyirenda Mayuni

Malawi coal miners are struggling to meet the local demand from the consuming industries despite the country hosting millions of tonnes of the resource. 

The development has seen major coal consuming industries such as cement manufacturing struggling to import coal from Mozambique amid the current foreign exchange shortages.

Chairman for Cement Products Aslam Gaffar said his plant has run out of coal and the mines in Malawi, located in the Northern Region are failing to supply.

“We may have to stop our cement plant indefinitely as we try to get coal,” said Gaffar, whose company has a clinker plant and cement mill in Njereza, Mangochi with a limestone mine in nearby Maera Village.

Shayona Cement Company, which runs a clinker plant and grinding mill in Kasungu, is also reportedly struggling to import coal from Mozambique for its operations with the local market in deficit.

Speaking to Mining and Trade Review. Acting Mine Manager for Mchenga Coal Mine in Rumphi Assan Tembo said that they are having problems with their production as the company is falling short on equipment that accelerates production.

Tembo said: “We need to use the conveyer belt and other equipment to increase production, but at the moment we are using wheelbarrows which is slowing down production, so expect to bring in the equipment and production will double by the end of July.”  

Tembo said that the company is aiming at increasing production by not only mobilizing additional equipment but also opening other ore sites.

Commenting on the issue in a separate interview, MD for Chombe Coal Mine Bruno Klose said despite the market deficit, his company is producing at normal volumes.

Klose said that it is not strange for companies in Malawi to import coal from Mozambique as they have always done that despite Malawi having a lot of coal.                                                                                       

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