Coal

South African coal-to-liquid giant opens $440 million shaft

Sasol Mining produces more than 40 million tons of coal a year, with more than 90% of the coal mined being beneficiated by Sasol to produce high-quality synthetic fuels and a wide range of chemicals.

Cardero and Ridley Terminals announce long-term port allocation for Carbon Creek

Contract volume is set at 500,000 tonnes per annum ("tpa") through 2014, increasing to 900,000 tpa in 2015.

Patriot Coal is burning down

Trading in the stock was halted in a circuit breaker around lunchtime after falling 57.6% over doubts about its finances and is now worth less than tenth of what it was in July last year.

Thar coal: Pakistan's hope for energy self-sufficiency

The estimates indicate that 135 to 175 billion tonnes of lignite coal can be obtained from the deposit, which can produce thousands of megawatts of electricity for decades.

Hard coal landing: Australia scraps $9 billion port expansion

The state government has scrapped plans for a $8.8 billion coal terminal expansion project at Queensland's Abbot Point, Australia citing funding issues and environmental regulations, but China's slowing economy probably had more than a little to do with it.

Billionaire battle: Property tycoon says Rinehart is bilking him out of iron royalties

Gina Rinehart, the world of mining's 4th richest person, is meeting a fellow billionaire Stan Perron in the Australian supreme court this week in a fight over – no surprises here – iron ore royalties.

Iron ore hits six-month low as China just says no

Iron ore prices fell on Monday to six-month lows of $130/tonne as Chinese steelmakers demand cargo deferrals or simply default on shipments.

From coal mine to classroom

Mine closure usually spells the end of communities situated in the back of beyond but, a small town in South Africa is fighting that fate with education.

Fire temporarily shutters eastern Iowa coal plant

Tata Steel forecasts improved demand amid European woes

India's Tata Steel forecast improving global demand in spite of European woes, as the world's No.7 steelmaker reported a bigger-than-expected drop in quarterly profit after being squeezed by weak prices, lower volume and higher input costs.

Indian coal supply gap may widen after state-owned CIL exits foreign acquisition vehicle

India could have trouble closing a shortfall in the supply of coal, after the world's largest coal company pulled out of a consortium to help India buy overseas coal reserves, The Economic Times reports.

Peabody Energy bids for ultra low sulfur coal reserves in Southern Powder River Basin

Peabody Energy announced the lease of 402 million tons of ultra low sulfur coal reserves adjacent to its North Antelope Rochelle Mine in the Southern Powder River Basin of Wyoming

Coal miner killed during fall at Boone County surface mine

According to the US Mine Safety and Health Administration, a Boone County coal miner died on the job Thursday, the eighth coal miner to die in the US this year and the second in West Virginia.

BHP's Australia coal miners returning to picket line

Workers at Australia's Bowen Basin coal mines, owned jointly by BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi, have once again given strike notice.

Adani Australia head quits amid $11 bln coal project delay

The Australian head of Adani Enterprises quit this week amid delays in getting approval for the Indian company's A$10.9 billion ($10.9 billion) coal and rail projects in Queensland.

Miner in China rescued after 17 days underground

A miner in northeast China was rescued Saturday after being buried underground for 17 days, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Junior resource investment in a financial meltdown – the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Rick Rule's presentation at the New York Hard Assets Conference earlier this week sees some light for the informed junior resource investor despite current patterns which have mostly been Bad or Ugly!

Continental Coal to acquire half of Colombian coal mine

South African thermal coal producer Continental Coal is seeking to augment its coal assets with a property in Colombia. The ASX and AIM-listed company (ASX:CCC; AIM:COOL) said yesterday it has entered into a JV agreement to acquire a 50% interest …

India the next China? Don't bet on it, says BHP

Michael Pascoe, writing for the Sydney Morning Herald, hits on a little-reported theme gleaned from remarks by BHP Billiton chairman Jac Nasser this week in Sydney.

China is developing a grid better for coal than renewables: report

China won’t meet its carbon and energy intensity targets unless dramatic changes to its electricity grid are applied, says a study by U.S.-based Energy Transition Research Institute.

One step closer to a better US permitting process

Yesterday, the House Committee on Natural Resources passed H.R. 4402, the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012. The bill, offered by Rep. Amodei (R-Nev.), received strong support in the committee and now heads to the full House for consideration.

Mongolia legislates caps on foreign investment

Mongolia is capping foreign investment in certain industries, including mining, in an attempt to keep profits inside the mineral-rich nation's borders.

Expat execs in Africa: Without 'danger pay' how does the money stack up now?

Africa's economic indicators are all pointing up, but executive pay packages and living arrangements for expatriates are changing too.

Coal miners rally against Biden in Ohio

Vice President Joe Biden, campaigning in Ohio, got a frosty reception from a group of coal miners opposed to the Obama Administration's anti-coal stance.

Underground Coal to Liquids (UCTL) update – significant progress

Preliminary results suggest that Stanford University has achieved the primary objective of coal liquefaction using specifications of UCTL. Qualitative demonstration of liquid hydrocarbon products being formed from coal using near-critical or supercritical water at conditions anticipated in UCTL.