Overview
Botswana has massive coal resources in the eastern part of the country, estimated at 17 billion tons. The country produced 822,780 t in 2003 compared to 953,081 t in 2002. The quality of coal in these deposits is suitable for power generation. Botswana has one operating mine, the Morupule mine, 93% owned by Debswana and supplies coal to Botswana’s only coal fired power station, Morupule Thermal Power Station, as well as to the mining operations at Selebwi Phikwe and to the Sua Pan soda ash plants. Even though suitable for use as power station fuel, the coal produced by Morupule is of low quality, with relatively high levels of ash and sulphur, which make it unsuitable for other purposes without washing and cleaning.
There are large untapped reserves in the greater Morupule and Mmamabula coal fields of eastern Botswana, and the potential for developing additional capacity for export to the global steam-coal market remains under review. However, the high cost of transport to coastal ports from landlocked Botswana renders the development of export collieries currently unviable.
There is also potential for the recovery of natural gas from the coal-bearing sedimentary rocks of the Kalahari and Karoo Basins. An initial coal bed methane (CBM) study published in January 2004 concluded that the rocks contain a significant volume of gas-in-place resources.
Organisations (2)
Meepong Investments, Morupule Colliery Ltd
Facilities (35)
Bonanza, Cherished Hope, Damtshaa, Damtshaa diamond mine, Deception Pan Block, Dukwe, Golden Eagle, Gope, Jwaneng, Jwaneng diamond mine, Khutse-Kikao, Kite, Kokong, Letlhakane, Letlhakane diamond mine, Maitengwe, Map Nora, Martins Drift, Matsitama, Mmamabula
Participating Organisations
CIC Energy Corporation
CIC is engaged in the advancement of the Mmamabula Energy Project, which includes the Mmamabula East and Mmamabula South prospecting licenses, located in the Mmamabula Coalfields of southeastern Botswana, 120 km north of the capital city of Gaborone and adjacent to South Africa’s Waterberg Coal Fields.
Debswana Diamond Company (Pty) Limited
Debswana has a 93% interest in Botswana’s only coal mine, Moropule.