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DRA awarded Optimisation Study and FEED package

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World Coal,


DRA Global’s, a global multi-disciplinary engineering and project delivery group, South African company DRA Projects SA has been awarded the Optimisation Study and Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) package for Coal of Africa Ltd (CoAL) Makhado coal project.

The Makhado project, located in the Limpopo Province of South Africa and approximately 80 km from CoAL’s existing Vele coal mine, is projected to produce both hard coking coal and thermal coal for export and domestic consumption. Initially the operation will be an opencast mine, with potential for expansion to an underground operation in future years.

This award is in following with DRA’s previous work on the Makhado project in the preparation of the Definitive Feasibility Study of the coal processing and handling facilities, completed in early 2013.

The scope of the Optimisation and FEED assignment expands this preceding work by DRA to now include the infrastructure components of the project and also the integration of the work of a number of specialist consultants.

Commenting on the award, Paul Thomson, DRA’s CEO, said: “It is especially pleasing to be awarded this next phase of the investigation and development of the Makhado coal project. Our early interaction with CoAL began in 2010 with initial studies and the new award is testament to the sound relationship established between our two organisations and our respective project teams.”

Thomson continues: “A key requirement of the Optimisation Study and FEED phase will be the identification of appropriate cost reduction opportunities to help optimise the economics of the project in the current challenging market. DRA and its key staff have had many years’ experience in the design and delivery of “fit-for-purpose” yet high-performance project in coal and other commodities. We will apply this experience and skill fully to the Makhado project. We very much look forward to continuing to work closely with CoAL through future phases of the project.”

CoAL intends to commence work on the Makhado site during the second semester of 2016, followed by a 26 month build programme with first coal produced during 2019.

David Brown, CEO of CoAL commented: “We are pleased to have DRA on board during the next phase of developing the Makhado project. This is an exciting yet crucial phase of the project development and being associated with DRA during this period will ensure a successful start to the construction of the Makhado project.”

Edited from press release by Harleigh Hobbs

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/coal/19012016/dra-awarded-optimisation-study-and-front-end-engineering-and-design-package-71/

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