• Total coal production increased by 92%
  • Production volumes of Hwange Power Station coal increased to 494 820 tonnes
  • total tonnes sold for the 3 months increased from 683 896 to 1 064 014 tonnes

Harare- Extractor and distributor of coal and coal-related products, Hwange Colliery Company Limited has recorded a 92.7% increase in coal mined during the three months to 31 March 2023 buoyed by a strong demand for both thermal and raw coal during the period.

Production uptick comes at a time when demand for coal is high at Hwange Thermal Power Station to curtail power deficits.

In a trading update, the Company said, “The operating economic environment for the quarter under review was stable. The market was buoyed by strong demand for both thermal and raw coal that positively pushed sales.”

Production volumes of Hwange Power Station coal increased to 494 820 tonnes in comparison to 398 728 tonnes in the same period in 2022 while productions volumes of Hwange Coking Coal (HCC) and Hwange Industrial Coal (HIC) increased to 773 771 tonnes in comparison to 259 489 tonnes in the same period in 2022.

With increased production, total tonnes sold increased from 683 896 to 1 064 014 tonnes compared to same period last year.

HPS sales volumes increased to 414 428 tonnes compared to 360 698 tonnes for the same period in 2022 while HCC and HIC sales volumes increased to 649 585 tonnes compared to 323 198 for the same period in 2022.

“The Company has a thrust in 2023 to grow its market share of coking coal sales in neighbouring countries.”

“Advanced plans to develop dedicated solutions for the delivery of coking coal and coke products in the region are underway,” said the Company.

The Company is engaging new mining contractors to open three new opencast pits and on the coal processing front, the Company acquired two new washing plants that will be commissioned during the second half of 2023. The washing plants will be located near the mining areas to reduce hauling and processing costs.

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