Matla Coal Mine, Mpumalanga

Exxaro proposes to relocate the Matla Coal Mine 1 surface infrastructure and access shaft from the farm Haasfontein 85 IS Portion 5 to the remaining extent of the Farm Bakenlaagte 84 IS, Mpumalanga Province. The shaft area with associated infrastructure including the pollution control structures will be approximately 69ha in extent. The mine has been in operation for more than 30 years, the current underground mining front is more than 17 kilometres from the existing surface infrastructure and access shaft and relocation is essential to the continued economic viability of the mine Opencast mining would have destroyed the wetlands completely, so the specific short wall mining method combined with the river diversion was a way of saving the wetlands. Through innovative engineering design and specialist environmental input from Golder Associates, Matla has been able to mine the coal underground with limited impact on the surface. GPS Coordinates : -26.2647, 29.12924