Beacon Hill expects to begin coal shipments in Q4

Beacon Hill Resources expects to start coal shipments from its Minas Moatize mine in Mozambique in Q4 2013, according to a company statement. The shipments will be taken on the Sena rail line to the port of Beira.

Since securing the rail allocation on the Sena rail line earlier this year, the company has been working on developing the required rail infrastructure. The first inspection of its locomotives took place in June, when the company made a 50% deposit for the onboard computors that are mandatory for safety and to facilitate train control from the centralised control room for the locomotives.

The company has also been working on the Carbonoc transfer station in Moatize and the Beira transfer station. According to the company, the Carbonac transfer station is advancing “encouragingly” and the company is currently on schedule to have the work completed the end of August 2013. However, the transfer station in Beira is currently behind schedule. The company remains “in dialogue” with CFM as to interim measures that can be taken until the final siding location is approved and construction work completed.

Second quarter production update

In Q2,153,520 t of ROM coal was mined at Minas Moatize, with 14,354 t of saleable coal produced, although the mine was only operational for 6 weeks following a halt in production.

Post period-end, the production ramp up continued to progress well with the mine producing both metallurgical coal and thermal coal to expected specification and qualities. Production ramp up is expected to increase further during Q3 2013 as the commissioning progresses.

Written by Jonathan Rowland

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/coal/30072013/beacon_hill_to_start_coal_shipments_from_minas_moatize_in_fourth_quarter_290/