Where Is Coal Mined In South Africa?
Coal Mining In South Africa
According to a 2011 estimate, South Africa produces more than 255 million tonnes of coal, and it uses almost all of it domestically. South Africa ranked sixth globally in both coal production and consumption as of 2018. Because of its size, the coal industry employed roughly 80,000 people in 2015, or.5% of all jobs, down from a peak of 135,000 in 1981. The main source of greenhouse emissions in South Africa that contribute to climate change is the coal sector. Coal directly supplies 77% of South Africa’s energy requirements. South Africa is the fifth-largest coal exporter in the world, with 30% of its output going to foreign markets. South Africa produces 92% of the coal used on the continent of Africa. 80% of South Africa’s CO2 emissions are caused by its coal-dependent energy system.
Economic Impact Of Coal Mining in South Africa
One of the top five coal-exporting nations in the world as well as one of the top seven coal-producing nations is South Africa. More over a quarter of the coal extracted in South Africa is exported, with Richards Bay being the primary port of departure. The two main sources of foreign exchange in South Africa are platinum and gold, with coal coming in third. According to a 2000 estimate, the nation spends 15% of its GDP on energy, 77% of which comes from coal. The coal and lignite mining sector had a gross revenue of R39 billion and employed 50,000 people directly in 2004. 40% of the coal produced in South Africa is from the Witbank Coalfield.
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Environmental Impact Of Coal Mining in South Africa
Environmentalists in South Africa and overseas have protested the World Bank’s decision to approve a $3.75 billion loan for the construction of South Africa’s fourth-largest coal-fired power plant. The plant will boost demand for coal output and mining. Protesters are pushing the bank to stop funding the construction of coal plants, other significant greenhouse gas emitters, and polluting coal mining operations.
According to a 2006 estimate, the use of coal and liquid fuel made from coal is responsible for around 86% of South Africa’s yearly emissions of 113 million tons of carbon dioxide, or about 40% of all CO2 emissions in Africa.
Where Is Coal Mined In South Africa?
In the Ecca deposits, a strata of the Karoo Supergroup, are South Africa’s coal reserves. There are 19 coalfields in the nation, and the most of them are in the north-eastern region, specifically in the provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, as well as in KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State.
