Mining Mirror June 2019 | Page 16

Mine excursion Khanye gets going Canyon Coal officially opened its Khanye mine in November last year. Since then development at the mine has progressed according to plan. Leon Louw visited the site recently. Mining at full swing in Khanye’s South Pit. [14] MINING MIRROR JUNE 2019 K hanye Colliery is the third mine in the developing Bronkhorstspruit coal belt of Gauteng, and part of the growing list of assets owned by Canyon Coal. Under the steady hand of executive chairman Vuslat Bayoglu, the company has gone from strength to strength, and brought Khanye into production in only 11 months. Through continued exploration and strategic acquisitions, Bayoglu has been able to build up an impressive pipeline of projects that will ensure Canyon Coal continues to deliver coal to a growing market for at least the next 50 years. Despite its growing list of assets, Canyon Coal has retained the ability to make quick decisions, and execute them rapidly. Bayoglu has also been able to attract and keep some of the best skills in the coal mining sector, which has been one of the reasons Khanye is performing in line with expectations. The Bronkhorstspruit geology is different to other coal mining regions in the country, and in a way Khanye is a test run for what might follow in an area desperately in need of development and employment opportunities. www.miningmirror.co.za