Mining Intelligence and News
South Africa

Matla Mine

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Summary

Mine TypeUnderground
StatusActive
Commodities
  • Coal (thermal)
Mining Method
  • Bord-and-pillar
  • Continuous
Production Start... Lock
Mine Life... Lock
SnapshotThe Matla mine is a major part of Tied thermal coal segment and includes three underground production facilities: Mine 1, Mine 2 and Mine 3.

Production at Mine 1 was stopped in 2015 due to pillar instability and regained access to coal in 2024. Mine 2 and Mine 3 continue to produce coal. During 2024, the Mine 2 north-west access and Mine 1 relocation LoM expansion projects intersected coal, while shortwall mining ceased in Q2 2024.

The Matla mining right lapses in March 2025 and the LoM is scheduled for an additional 15 years thereafter. A renewal application was submitted timeously - in Q4 2024. Some environmental authorisations are pending renewal.

Matla mine produces thermal coal exclusively for Eskom. The conclusion of the coal supply agreement (CSA) with Eskom is expected to be finalised in 2025.

Owners

SourceSource
CompanyInterestOwnership
Exxaro Resources Ltd. 100 % Indirect
Matla mine 100% attributed to Exxaro Resources Ltd.

Contractors

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Deposit type

  • Sedimentary

Summary:

Matla mine is situated in the Highveld coalfield, to the south of the Witbank coalfield. The coal seams are developed in the Vryheid Formation of the Karoo supergroup. The stratigraphic sequence in the Matla area includes five coal seams that can be easily correlated with seams found in the Witbank coalfield.

The principal economic seams currently exploited are S2 and S4 with mining of S5 terminated in 1998 due to high levels of contamination and a subsequent increase in the abrasive index.

Coal seams in the area are generally flat and continuous with subsequent igneous activity resulting in displacements and devolatilisation of coal seams in localised areas. The S5 is most prominent in the Mine 2 and Mine 3 areas and, to a limited extent, in the western limb of the southern part of the mining right area. The roof comprises approximately 0.5m of thick sandy micaceous shale at Mine 2 that thickens up to approximately 1.6m in Mine 3. The seam consists of mixed coal and torbanitic material with an average thickness of 1.5m. Economic S4 exists in the Mine 1, Mine 2 and southern Reserve areas and, to a limited extent, in the Mine 3 area. At Mine 3, the seam splits into two thin, poor-quality horizons towards the west and is thus excluded from the mineable Reserves. The best quality S4 is located at Mine 1 and at the eastern edges of Mine 2. The seam is composed of dull lustrous coal interspersed with bright coal bands. Inseam partings typically consist of discontinuous lenses of shales and siltstones less than 0.1m thick, but these may thicken locally to 0.3m. Carbonaceous limestone lenses are also prevalent within the central portion of the Mine 2 area. The S2 at Matla is well developed in the north-western part of the mining area in the Mine 2 and Mine 3 Resource areas. It thins out to the south, where the thickness averages between 1.2m and 2.5m. Much of the coal in this area is mined as a low seam. The S2 between Mine 1 and Mine 2 has been burned by a prominent dolerite sill and is thus unmineable. S2 in the Mine 1 area is generally poor in quality and discontinuous due to sill activity. As such, it is not mined in this area.

The coal was deposited on glacial sediments of Dwyka tillite, which in turn was deposited over a granitic basement. The Matla mining area is characterised by two distinct dolerite types, the B8 (porphyritic) and B4 (olive-rich) types which have varying effects on seam displacements and coal burning and devolatilisation. A dolerite sill with an average thickness of 10m is generally found above S5 in Mines 2 and 3. However, the sill intersects the coal seams and underlies S2 in Mine 1 and S4 on the south-western part of the Reserves. This sill has burned and devolatilised S2 on the southern part of the mining area in Mine 1. Floor rolls have been encountered in S2 workings and created challenges in isolated mining areas. The floor rolls strike north-eastsouth-west, vary in width between 50m and 200m and have amplitudes up to 1.5m. The floor rolls are more prominent if the seam floor is close to the basement contact. Sandstone lenses encountered are generally less than 0.5m in width but can reach up to 1.5m in thickness.

Reserves

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Mining Methods

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Heavy Mobile Equipment

Fleet data has not been reported.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Milling equipment has not been reported.

Processing

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Commodity Production

CommodityUnits2025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Coal (thermal) Mt  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe6.6 7.4 7.9 
All production numbers are expressed as ROM coal. ^ Guidance / Forecast.

Operational metrics

Metrics20252024202320222021202020192018
Coal tonnes mined  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe5.99 Mt6.7 Mt
^ Guidance / Forecast.

Production Costs

Commodity production costs have not been reported.

Mine Financials

Units20242023202220202019
Revenue M ZAR  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 373  
Operating Income M ZAR  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe
EBITDA M ZAR  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe 15  
Operating Cash Flow M ZAR  ....  Subscribe  ....  Subscribe

Personnel

Mine Management

Job TitleNameProfileRef. Date
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 16, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 16, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 16, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 16, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 16, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 16, 2025
....................... Subscription required ....................... Subscription required Subscription required May 16, 2025

Workforce

Total WorkforceYear
...... Subscription required 2022
...... Subscription required 2021
...... Subscription required 2019

Aerial view:

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