Coal

Eight miners trapped underground for over seven hours have been freed in western Colombia.

An underground coal mine has reopened in Alabama after ceasing operations at the end of April due to extreme weather in the southern US.

Sable Mining Africa Ltd has published a bankable feasibility study (BFS) on Delta Mining Consolidated Ltd’s (DMC) Rietkuil coal project in South Africa.

Arch Coal Inc. has announced that it has established a new subsidiary, Arch Coal Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd., and named Renato Paladino president.

New Zealand miner, Solid Energy, will seek to acquire the assets of Pike River Coal, according to a company statement, but acknowledges that there are considerable challenges to bringing the mine back into production.

The US Environmental Protection Agency has announced a settlement with the Tennessee Valley Authority to resolve alleged Clean Air Act violations at 11 of its coal-fired plants in Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Landlocked Mongolia is the most sparsely populated country in the world, but has vast mineral resources. Ng Weng Hoong analyses growing investments in the country.

The Government of China is planning to amass a 5 million t emergency stockpile of coal. According to the China Economic Herald, the Government has asked top producers, including Shenhua Eenergy, to begin stockpiling to help alleviate bottlenecks that limit the available supply during peak demand seasons.

The amount of South African coal imported by India rose 8% in the year ending March 2011. According to mjunction, an online Indian e-commerce company, Indian imports accounted for about 32% of the coal exported from South Africa.

Paul Baruya, IEA Clean Coal Centre, UK, provides a brief overview of the Russian coal industry. This article takes extracts from an original IEA report authored by Geoff Crocker.

Rio Tinto has acquired a majority interest in Riversdale Mining Ltd, delivering control of significant tier one coking coal projects. Rio Tinto’s shareholding in Riversdale passed 50% and may increase further with the takeover offer remaining open until 20 April 2011.

BP confirmed today that it has signed four new coalbed methane (CBM) production sharing contracts (PSCs) in the Barito basin of South Kalimantan, Indonesia.

BHP Billiton has approved three key met coal projects in the Bowen casin in central Queensland, Australia.

Coal miners in Indonesia are urging the Government to delay its plans to introduce a rule limiting coal exports by quality.

FLSmidth has signed a contract in Jakarta worth in excess of US$ 135 million with PT Adaro Indonesia, a subsidiary of PT Adaro Energy Tbk., to supply material handling equipment to its coal mine in the Tanjung district of South Kalimantan, some 1000 km from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.