The Tendele Coal is a

coal mining Coal mining is the process of resource extraction, extracting coal from the ground or from a mine. Coal is valued for its Energy value of coal, energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to Electricity generation, generate electr ...

operation in South Africa principally known for its Somkhele Coal Mine in KwaZulu-Natal province. The open cast coal mine was first opened in 2007, and largely produces

metallurgical coal Metallurgical coal or coking coal is a grade of coal that can be used to produce good-quality coke. Coke is an essential fuel and reactant in the blast furnace process for primary steelmaking. The demand for metallurgical coal is highly coupled ...

that is exported out of

Richards Bay Richards Bay () is a city in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is situated on a 30 square kilometre lagoon of the Mhlatuze River, which makes it one of the country's largest harbours. Richards Bay also has the deepest natural harbour on the Africa ...

. Tendele is largely owned by Petmin, which in turn is owned by Capital Works Private Equity after delisting from the

Johannesburg Stock Exchange JSE Limited (previously the JSE Securities Exchange and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange) is the largest stock exchange in Africa. It is located in Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, after it moved from downtown Johannesburg in 2000. In 2003 ...

in 2017.

Local impacts

The mine has been connected to several human rights abuses. A 2017 case against the mine claimed that it breached environmental and other laws in its operations, but was subsequently dismissed. The death of

environmental defender Environmental defenders or environmental human rights defenders are individuals or collectives who protect the environment from harms resulting from resource extraction, hazardous waste disposal, infrastructure projects, land appropriation, or o ...

, Fikile Ntshangase was connected to the mine's expansion. Fikile Ntshangase was part of the local community group, Mfolozi Community Environmental Justice Organisation, which was protesting the environmental impacts of the mine. The mine also produces water and air pollution that hurts local communities.

References

{{Reflist Coal mining in Africa Coal in South Africa Economy of KwaZulu-Natal