Matla Mine 1
Relocation and Shortwall Replacement Projects

About this Project

Matla Mine 1 Relocation and Shortwall Replacement Projects

In 1974 Eskom awarded Matla Colliery the contract to supply coal to Matla Power Station sourced from three operations namely: Matla Mine 1, Mine 2 and Mine 3 shafts, using only underground mining methods. The CSA was signed for an annual tonnage of 10.066 million tonnes and coal is produced from the three underground shafts utilising shortwall mining and board and pillar continuous miner sections. Production in Mine 1 was stopped in March 2015 following the deterioration of the safety pillars in the vicinity of the shaft where the safety factor of the pillars had decreased to less than one.

1. The scope of the Matla Mine 1 Relocation project consists of:
   • The construction of a new box-cut, entrance portal and tunnels for safe access to Matla Mine 1 underground workings, closer to the remaining economical reserves.
   • The entire associated surface infrastructure and reticulation system to support the mining operations for both personnel and equipment; and
   • A new material handling system to transport the coal from the new mine access location to the Matla Power Station coal stockyard and to process the coal as required.

Other major projects affecting the life of the Matla Mine are Covered under related projects:

2. Short wall replacement project (in execution)
   • This project supports Mine 1 development and supplies five complete CM sections.

3. Matla Mine 3 Vent Shaft (in execution) – Not a related project.
   • The vent shaft can only be constructed once the North West interseam project has been completed and is therefore dependent on the North West interseam project. Likewise, the mining of the remaining reserves made possible by the North West interseam project is dependent on the vent shaft project for continued proper ventilation of the production sections in Mine 2 & 3.

PACE Consulting Owner successfully rendered the cost engineering services on behalf of PACE Services on Matla Mine 1 and Shortwall Replacement to obtain funding from Eskom through ERA process, cost baseline the projects and rendered the day to day functions of cost engineering.