Mozambique Mining: Court orders closure of JSPL coal terminal

JSPL Mozambique Minerais company has kept the Moatize coal terminal in operation despite a decision by the Tete Judicial Court for it to be closed, Radio Moçambique reported.

The radio station said the company, a subsidiary of the Jindal Africa group, controlled by Indian conglomerate Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL), said through a spokesman that it needs time to give an opinion on the court ruling.

The people whose homes are close to the dry dock complain of health and other problems due to pollution caused by the coal terminal, where the ore extracted in Chirondizi is stored, from where it is transported by train to the port of Beira.

JSPL Mozambique Minerals resumed coal mining on 1 October, 2016, based on the price of coking coal or metallurgical coal rising by more than 150% since August.

Operations at the group’s coal mine in Mozambique, which was acquired in 2011, had been suspended earlier this year due to the continued decline in the price of both coking and thermal coal, which forced similar actions by other mining groups. (source: RM, Macauhub)