Limpopo Business 2017-18 edition
A unique guide to business and investment in Limpopo. Limpopo Business 2017/18 is the ninth edition of this highly successful publication that has, since its launch in 2007, established itself as the premier business and investment guide to the Limpopo Province. This edition of Limpopo Business is officially endorsed by the Office of the Premier of Limpopo. This book contains detailed insights into the plans of the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA) and the recently launched bus rapid transport system for the provincial capital, Leeto la Polokwane, together with a comprehensive register of all provincial government and municipal contact details. Investment news related to mining, telecommunications and tourism is carried in overviews of all the main economic sectors. To complement the extensive distribution of the print edition of the magazine, the publication is also available online at www.limpopobusiness.co.za.
A unique guide to business and investment in Limpopo.
Limpopo Business 2017/18 is the ninth edition of this highly successful publication that has, since its launch in 2007, established itself as the premier business and investment guide to the Limpopo Province. This edition of Limpopo Business is officially endorsed by the Office of the Premier of Limpopo.
This book contains detailed insights into the plans of the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA) and the recently launched bus rapid transport system for the provincial capital, Leeto la Polokwane, together with a comprehensive register of all provincial government and municipal contact details. Investment news related to mining, telecommunications and tourism is carried in overviews of all the main economic sectors.
To complement the extensive distribution of the print edition of the magazine, the publication is also available online at www.limpopobusiness.co.za.
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
OVERVIEW<br />
Coal<br />
<strong>Limpopo</strong> contributes 4% of coal mining in South Africa, according to<br />
the National Department of Mineral Resources, but it seems likely that<br />
within the next three decades, the province will be supplying about<br />
half of South Africa’s coal. <strong>Limpopo</strong>’s Waterberg coal field is estimated<br />
to contain about 75-billion tons of coal.<br />
Supplying coal to power-producer Eskom has for many<br />
years been part of the bread-and-butter income for coal mining<br />
operators. In 2015, Exxaro supplied Eskom with nearly<br />
30% of the coal it needed to run its power stations, about<br />
33-million tons of coal.<br />
Exxaro spent several billion rand expanding its Grootgeluk mine<br />
(which has 3 200 employees) in the expectation that it would supply<br />
coal to Eskom’s Medupi power station. However, construction of the<br />
giant power station has been severely delayed, with the result that<br />
Exxaro is now having to look to export its coal. The plan was for the<br />
mine to supply Medupi with 14.6-million tons of coal every year for 40<br />
years. Exxaro is exploring new technologies at Lephalale, working on<br />
the possibilities of Underground Coal Gasification (UCG).<br />
The diversified resources company recently launched the New<br />
Exxaro Tomorrow (NXXT) programme, which is part of the company’s<br />
2030 vision that has a strong focus on sustainability.<br />
Sibanye Gold has acquired a 51% stake in Waterberg Coal,<br />
further evidence that it intends looking after its own power<br />
supply, at least to some extent.<br />
Coal of Africa is active in <strong>Limpopo</strong>, with the Vele colliery (coking and<br />
thermal) in the far north of the province and the Greater Soutpansberg<br />
Project /MbeuYashu, which includes CoAL’s Makhado Project (coking<br />
and thermal coal).<br />
Diamonds<br />
Anglo American is investing R2-billion to expand production at<br />
its diamond mine near the town of Musina. Venetia Mine is by far<br />
ONLINE RESOURCES<br />
Chamber of Mines of South Africa: www.bullion.org.za<br />
Geological Society of South Africa: www.gssa.org.za<br />
Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA): www.mqa.org.za<br />
National Department of Mineral Resources: www.dme.gov.za<br />
South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy:<br />
www.saimm.co.za<br />
the most important part of De<br />
Beers’ South African operation,<br />
accounting for 3.1-million of<br />
the 5.4-million carats recovered<br />
by the company from its six<br />
operations.<br />
Good progress is being made<br />
to convert the mine from an<br />
open-pit mine to an underground<br />
operation, a project that will extend<br />
the life of the mine to the<br />
middle of the 2040s. The project<br />
will employ more than 2 000 people<br />
at its peak period. The first<br />
diamonds to come from the new<br />
mine are expected in 2021 with<br />
the underground mine becoming<br />
the only source of diamonds<br />
in 2023.<br />
The Venetia mine is also the<br />
site of some ground-breaking<br />
research that the De Beers group<br />
is putting in to finding ways to<br />
store carbon by mineralising<br />
kimberlite tailings. It is thought<br />
that kimberlite has the potential<br />
to be carbonised and thus able to<br />
store carbon. The goal is carbonneutral<br />
mining.<br />
LIMPOPO BUSINESS <strong>2017</strong>/<strong>18</strong><br />
48