Where We Operate

Thungela owns interests in, and produces, its thermal coal predominantly from seven mining operations. These are amongst the highest quality thermal coal mines in South Africa by calorific value. We export our thermal coal portfolio mainly to the Indian, Asian, SEA, Middle East and North African markets.

Our South African Operations
Please click on the points on the map to see the overview of the locations where Thungela operates.
Mpumalanga Province
Rietvlei Colliery
Rietvlei Colliery
Rietvlei Colliery

The Rietvlei Colliery is a small-scale truck and shovel open cast mine located approximately 27 km north-east of Middelburg, between Stofberg and Middelburg, in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. The Rietvlei Colliery is operated by the Rietvlei Mining Company, in which the Group owns an effective 34% interest through its approximate 67% shareholding in Butsanani Energy Investment Holdings, an entity which was created to facilitate enterprise development by identifying junior coal mining operations and companies in South Africa to collaborate with. 

Construction of the Rietvlei Colliery commenced in November 2018 with its first coal sales delivered in March 2019. The Colliery consists of a single strip cut of over 1.5km with several low wall access ramps. All mining activity at the Colliery is undertaken by contractors utilising truck and shovel equipment. The thermal coal produced at the Rietvlei Colliery is sold exclusively under contract to Eskom, the national electricity supplier in South Africa, power generation at several nearby coal-fired power stations. This Colliery is the only mine within the Group to supply thermal coal directly and exclusively to Eskom.

Mafube Colliery
Mafube Colliery
Mafube Colliery
Mafube Colliery

The Mafube Colliery is an open cast thermal coal mine located approximately 30 km east of Middelburg in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. The Colliery was formed in 2004 and is operated by Mafube Coal Mining as a 50/50 joint operation between the Group and Exxaro Mining.

The Mafube Colliery consists of several open cast pit areas with current extraction focused on the Nooitgedacht Pit. Mining is undertaken through a combination of contractor and owner operated fleets. Contractor operations utilise truck and shovel fleets to remove the topsoil and weathered portions of the overburden. Coal extraction undertaken at the mine utilises the mine's fleet. Mining at Mafube focuses on extraction of the No. 2 seam on the property. Coal extracted from Nooitgedacht is crushed and screened and then transported by overland conveyor to the Coal Handling and Preparation Plant (CHPP). The CHPP has the capacity to treat 6 MTPA to produce an export quality product, a middling’s product, and discard material. The middling product can be sold into the export market. The saleable product is transported from the CHPP to the rail load-out terminal via a 14km overland conveyor for transport to port.

Khwezela Colliery
Khwezela Colliery
Khwezela Colliery

The Khwezela Colliery is an open cast thermal coal mine located about 120 km east of Johannesburg and approximately 22 km south west of eMalahleni in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. The Colliery was formed in 2016 through a merger of the mining operations of the Kleinkopje and Landau collieries.

The Colliery consists of two distinct open cast operations, Khwezela North and Khwezela South. Current mining operations are focused on the Navigation area in Khwezela North. The Bokgoni pit in Khwezela South, is currently on care and maintenance. Mining utilises draglines, and truck and shovel equipment focusing on the extraction of the No. 2 seam on the property. The Colliery has two coal handling processing plants operated by the mine, one at the navigation pits and the other at the Bokgoni Pit. Khwezela is evaluating life extension options to extend the mine life beyond the current plan. Khwezela Colliery produces coal for both the export and domestic markets.

Greenside Colliery
Greenside Colliery
Greenside Colliery

The Greenside Colliery is an underground thermal coal mine that supplies the export coal markets. 

Coal is extracted using a fully mechanised bord and pillar mining method. 

The Greenside LOM plan is scheduled to complete mineable reserves by 2028. 

A railway line traverses Greenside and is shared with the Khwezela Colliery,connecting the rail load-out terminal with the RBCT.

Reserves
17.2Mt
Resources
12.5Mt
LOM
5 years
Goedehoop Colliery
Goedehoop Colliery
Goedehoop Colliery

The Goedehoop Colliery is an underground thermal coal mine that uses a fully mechanised bord and pillar mining method. The coal mined is supplied to the export thermal coal market.

Based on the current LOM plan, mining operations at Goedehoop are expected to cease in 2025.

A railway line traverses the property, connecting the dedicated rail load-out terminal with the RBCT.

Reserves
6.6Mt
Resources
249.6Mt
LOM
2 years
Zibulo Colliery
Zibulo Colliery
Zibulo Colliery
Zibulo Colliery

The Zibulo Colliery is an underground and opencast mini-pit thermal coal mine. We operate the underground section using a fully mechanised bord and pillar mining method while the opencast mini-pit is operated by contracting partners using a truck and shovel fleet. Run of mine (ROM) coal is conveyed on a 16km overland conveyor belt and beneficiated

at the Phola Coal Processing Plant (PCPP). The PCPP has a rail load-out terminal connected with the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT).

Reserves
51.4Mt
Resources
431.9Mt
LOM
8 years
Isibonelo Colliery
Isibonelo Colliery
Isibonelo Colliery

The Isibonelo Colliery is an open cast thermal coal mine located approximately 150km east of Johannesburg and 90km south of eMalahleni in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. The Isibonelo Colliery was opened in 2005. It took over the infrastructure associated with the Syferfontein Colliery in 2005.

The Isibonelo Colliery consists of two open cast pits with mining focusing on the No. 4 seam. Mining takes place utilising draglines and truck and shovel equipment.

The Colliery does not have a coal preparation plant and all raw coal is crushed, screened and analysed. Crushed and screened coal is transported via conveyoer from the mine by a 22km conveyor to the Sasol Synfuels stockyard.

Coal produced at this mine is supplied to Sasol Synfuels under a Coal Supply Agreement and based on current mine plans operations are expected to cease in 2026.

Our Australian Operations
Please click on the points on the map to see the overview of the locations where Thungela operates.
Ensham Mine
Ensham Mine
Ensham Mine
Market
export
Proved: 32.0Mt
Probable: 34.6Mt
Measured: 66.4Mt
Indicated: 969.8Mt
Mining Method
underground
LOM
16 years

Reserves and Resources are shown at 100%

Ensham Mine
Ensham Mine
Ensham Mine 1