Coal

Sentry Petroleum has been awarded a large coal tenement in the Eromanga basin, highlighting the potential for the coal seam gas industry in the area.

An explosion at the San Fernando coal mine in Amaga, Antioquia province, Colombia, has killed at least eight miners and trapped over 70 more underground.

Despite significant recent progress towards the promotion of carbon capture and storage technologies, increased cooperation between Government and industry is essential to meet the G8 goal of launching 20 CCS demonstration projects by the end of the year.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has announced penalties against the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for the coal ash spill at its Kingston’s plant in 2008.

The Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS) at the University of Kentucky has completed a broad assessment of geologic factors affecting Kentucky’s potential for permanent storage of carbon dioxide. It also addresses the potential use of carbon dioxide for increasing recovery of oil from Kentucky fields.

New report says Britain could cut greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2030, creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs and regaining energy security.

Asciano has secured a new long-term contract with Anglo American to haul 16.5 million tpa of coal in Queensland, Australia. The company expects the agreement to generate over AU$ 775 million in revenue.

The US coal sector is facing better prospects after a tough year. However, concerns remain, particularly with regard to climate change legislation, which could have a profound impact on the coal sector.

Hargreaves Services has announced that it no longer wishes to pursue the possibility of a merger deal with UK Coal.

Ncondezi Coal has announced its admission to trading on AIM, the commencement of dealings in its shares on AIM, and the successful raising of US$ 52 million for the company.

New Zealand coal miner, Solid Energy, plans to build an underground coal gasification plant on its Huntly West Coal Mining Licence area, Waikato. The plant, which is subject to approval of the relevant applications, will convert up to 30,000 t of coal into syngas and builds on 5 year’s of investigation by the company.

Siemens Energy has successfully completed the first firing of PetroAlgae Inc.’s biocrude fuel, a plant-based, micro-crop biomass material that is processed into a solid residue. The biocrude fuel was combined with pulverised coal in a pilot-scale burner with a thermal capacity of approximately 4 MBtu/hour.

Close to China and its huge demand for natural resources, Mongolia has vast untapped resources that are ripe for exploitation, including huge coal deposits. Hunnu Coal aims to help develop these resources and has recently acquired a 60% interest in the Buyan coal project, in the giant Tavan Tolgoi coking coal field in the Umnugobi Province of Mongolia.

Xstrata has suspended some of its mining investments in response to the Australian government’s proposed new resource tax.

The Captain Sandstone in the Moray Firth is being investigated as a possible site for carbon storage due to the salt infused sandstone present there.