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Lubu coal project gets major boost

Published

4 years ago

October 23, 2021

HWANGE – London listed natural resource development company Contango Holdings PLC on Friday reported better-than-expected test results on samples from its Lubu coal project in Zimbabwe.

The Lubu Coal Project covers 19,236 hectares of the highly prospective Karroo Mid Zambezi coal basin, located in the established Hwange mining district in north-western Zimbabwe.

Contango Holdings said the results exceeded expectations and confirm the viability of Lubu’s metallurgical coal for the production of coke.

The company said it received the results from a set of sample analyses conducted by Bureau Veritas of South Africa. The analyses assessed a variety of metrics and properties derived from the metallurgical seams at the Lubu Coal Project, including ash, sulphur and phosphorous contents, as well as yield and calorific values.

The results, which are reported in full below, have exceeded the Company’s expectations and also confirmed the viability of Lubu’s metallurgical coal in the production of coke, the key reactant and fuel in primary steelmaking.

Carl Esprey, chief executive officer of Contango Holdings, explained that the results have exceeded the Company’s expectations and also confirmed the viability of Lubu’s metallurgical coal in the production of coke, the key reactant and fuel in primary steelmaking.

“We are delighted with the results from this study, which have demonstrated the commercial characteristics of the metallurgical coal at Lubu, as well as its viability in the manufacture of coke,” Esprey said.

“This positive news has come at a time when demand for all forms of coal has risen significantly and has led to an increase in the metallurgical coal price from US$161/tonne to US$451/tonne over the last year,” Esprey said.

He added that the price of coke, the product achieved through the ‘cooking’ of metallurgical coals through coke batteries, has also seen dramatic prices rises, with an 70% increase over the same period to current levels of approximately US$670/tonne.

“With current shortages, the price of coke is likely to increase even further,” he said. “With the studies now completed and both a regional and global market identified, I believe Lubu is ideally positioned to benefit from this pricing outlook

“With current shortages, the price of coke is likely to increase even further,” he said.

“With the studies now completed and both a regional and global market identified, I believe Lubu is ideally positioned to benefit from this pricing outlook.”- Hourly Hits

In the community

Hwange police seek public’s help in locating missing teen

Published

2 days ago

May 15, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

The Hwange police are urgently seeking the public’s assistance in locating 16-year-old Latoya Lisa Munkuli, who went missing on May 7, this month.

Latoya, a dark-complexioned female juvenile, was last seen leaving her residence in Hwange around 4 pm.

She was wearing a distinctive outfit consisting of green trousers and a white T-shirt, and carried a black satchel. She stands approximately 1.6 meters tall.

Inspector Glory Banda of the Hwange police is leading the investigation and urges anyone with information about Latoya’s whereabouts to come forward.

If you have any information about Latoya’s disappearance, please contact Inspector Banda on 0785961747 or 0771256607.

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

1 month ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) locomotive suffered significant damage after catching fire while transporting export coal to Zambi. The incident occurred between Kalala and Matetsi sidings, resulting in the explosion of the locomotive’s fuel tanks.

According to the NRZ press statement on Monday, “A National Railways of Zimbabwe locomotive suffered some damages after it caught fire this afternoon while transporting export coal to Zambia.” Fortunately, the crew members on board managed to escape unharmed.

The NRZ responded swiftly to the incident, dispatching a rescue train with crews to the site. The team successfully extinguished the fire, preventing further damage. However, the locomotive itself sustained considerable damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently underway. “Investigations are already underway to establish the cause of the fire and the amount of damage to the locomotive,” the NRZ statement read.

In the community

Human-wildlife conflict claims 18 lives in Zimbabwe’s first quarter

Published

1 month ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has reported a disturbing trend of human-wildlife conflict in the country’s first quarter of 2025. According to the authority, 18 people have lost their lives, and 32 others have been injured in encounters with wildlife.

ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo revealed that the authority received 579 cases of human-wildlife conflict, which they managed to respond to promptly. The incidents have also resulted in significant livestock losses, with at least 53 cattle and 85 goats killed by wildlife.

The districts most affected by these incidents include Binga, Hwange, Kariba, Chiredzi, Hurungwe, Nyaminyami, and Mbire. ZimParks has been working tirelessly to raise awareness about wildlife behaviors and effective preventive measures in these areas.

In response to the crisis, ZimParks has translocated 129 animals back into protected areas and eliminated 158 animals deemed problematic.

“We encourage communities to continue reporting incidents to ZimParks Problem Animal Control numbers and local leadership, such as Councillors, Traditional Leaders, and Rural District Council Authorities, to ensure that we preserve lives,” Farawo urged.

The significant increase in livestock losses, with cattle deaths rising from 18 to 53 and goat deaths from 21 to 85 compared to the same period in 2024, highlights the growing challenge of human-wildlife conflict in Zimbabwe.

ZimParks’ efforts to mitigate the conflict include community initiatives to educate people on managing wildlife encounters effectively.