28 Nov 2021

In an effort to expand its revenue base, Botswana is diversifying from diamond mining by exploring other minerals such as coal, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

Officiating at the ground breaking ceremony for Morupule Coal Mine’s Motheo Open Pit project in Palapye Friday, he said Botswana had 212 billion tonnes largely untapped coal reserves which the country  needed to use sustainably for its socio-economic development.

Government therefore decided to utilise the vast amount of coal deposits available and take advantage of demand for the resource, he said. 

 Anticipated  to increase the mine’s production capacity from 2.8 million to 4.2 million tonnes per annum,  the project, which included development of an open cast mine, handling and processing plant and associated supporting infrastructure, was expected to present abundant employment opportunities, particularly for the youth. 

“Key aspects of the project will require skilled manpower to execute of which young people stand to benefit,” he said adding that the mine currently employed 735 while the project had so far created 900 short term jobs with 350 permanent ones expected when it became fully operational. 

Noting that the mine supported small-medium enterprises in Palapye and surrounding areas, Dr Masisi expressed the belief that businesses would increase as mine activities intensified.

“As I mentioned five months ago when I opened the Khoemacau Mine, your social license to operate is anchored on your efforts towards the social benefits of the communities in which you operate,” he said. 

President Masisi said the project would also assist in government’s efforts to increase rural electrification and village connectivity. 

He said the country was experiencing shortage of electricity with only 60 per cent being generated locally with Morupule Mine being the predominant source of energy feeding both Morupule A and Morupule B power plants. 

The President said government was exploring environment-friendly uses of coal resources by diversifying into other downstream coal beneficiation projects taking into account that Botswana was signatory to the UN Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Climate Change Agreement. 

He noted that Parliament had approved a Climate Change Policy promoting access to carbon markets, climate finance and clean technologies such as solar energy. Through efficient and effective implementation of the policy, Botswana would ensure that activities surrounding coal mining adhered to international commitments, he said. 

Dr Masisi said government’s commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 15 per cent by 2030 was evidenced by the mine’s efforts to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions from 45 to about 30 kilotonnes per annum by deploying technologies such as electric utility vehicles in the mining areas from January 2022. 

He said through strategic partnerships with institutions such as Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), University of Botswana and Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation, innovative methods of exploiting coal resources in a safer and cleaner way would be devised. 

President Masisi said the mine and BIUST would set up a coal laboratory to analyse coal samples and allow meaningful home-grown research on the resource. 

“We have developed an integrated resource plan and a coal road map to guide efforts for the sustainable exploitation of the vast coal resources, through the use of clean technologies, while at the same time deriving maximum benefits for sustainable economic diversification and job creation,” he said. On another issue,  President Masisi commended Morupule Coal Mine for a clean record of fatalities for over 15 years now which he attributed to a safe working environment. 

He said Motheo Project had surpassed the one million recordable injury free man-hours milestone which confirmed the mine took safety seriously.

In her welcome remarks,  Kgosi Martha Lebang of Palapye Customary Court said the project came at an opportune time when people in and around Palapye had been longing for major developments to relieve them from the effects of COVID-19 and job shortages. 

“I must say, am impressed with the way Morupule mine conducts its business and the future of smart mining as detailed in the vision and operations,” she said. ends