Presents a
SHORT COURSE FOR INDUSTRY IN
ECONOMIC GEOLOGY OF SOUTHERN AFRICA COAL
Coal geology and exploration, CBM, UCG and geophysics
24 - 28 June 2013
FIVE-DAY COURSE OR DAILY ATTENDANCE
Module in the Postgraduate Programme
LEADERSHIP IN FUEL & ENERGY TECHNOLOGY
VENUE:
Wits Sports Administration Building, Sturrock Park, West Campus,
University of Witwatersrand, Braamfontein
Course Coordinators
Prof Rosemary Falcon, University of the Witwatersrand (Convenor)
Prof Bruce Cairncross, University of Johannesburg
OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE:
The course seeks to provide introductory and up-dated information on the following issues:
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Origin, formation, constitution of coal,
Coal geology, basin analysis and factors influencing quality distribution
Techniques in coal exploration and mine planning
DME legislations, JSE regulations and bankable documentation
Geological factors on mining, beneficiation, marketing, and optimum utilisation
Global and Regional coal resources and reserves
Coalbed methane, UCG, shale gas and down-hole geophysics awareness
Global and South / Southern African coal resources / reserves
MOTIVATION:
Image courtesy of Exxaro
With the increasing demand for high quality coal products for export purposes and the ever-increasing
requirements for a variety of grades of coal for local power generation, petrochemical, metallurgical and
industrial use, it is now of vital importance to gain knowledge concerning the coal resources and reserves of
South and Southern Africa and the nature of the products being produced.
In addition, the availability and potential use of alternative fossil fuel sources is of significant interest and in this
regard and overview of the region’s oil, gas and coalbed methane resources is becoming of equal relevance.
In parallel, an overview of current legislation and modern methodologies used to assess the distributions,
qualities and reserves of coal, oil and gas more accurately than has been the case in the past has now become
necessary, including the need to understand the methods by which geological models are developed and from
which significantly improved coal mine planning, extraction, beneficiation, marketing and utilisation can be
assured.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND THIS COURSE:
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Geologists
Mining engineers
Mine planners
Mineral (coal) resource managers
Coal processing engineers
Marketing and trading personnel
Industrial users of coal
Engineering manufacturers
Fuel technologists
Financial funding agencies
Government and company policy planners
Researchers and lecturers in academia.
PROGRAMME:
DAY 1 – Monday 24 June:
COAL RESOURCES AND RESERVES WORLDWIDE AND REGIONALLY; COALBED METHANE
08:00-09:00 – Registration
09:00-10:30 - Review of coal resources and reserves in the world and South Africa. Mr X Prevost, XMP Consulting
10:30-11:00 – Tea
11:00-13:00 – Coal resources and reserves in Botswana and Southern Africa. Mr A Golding, Consultant, Botswana
13:00-14:00 – Lunch
14:00-15:15 - Applied use of coal seams and related strata: Coal bed methane (CBM); enhanced CBM (ECBM). Mr Oliver
Barker, Banzi Geotechnics
15:15-15:30 – Tea
15:30-17:00 - (Cont) Applied use of coal seams and related strata: Coal bed methane (CBM); enhanced CBM
(ECBM). Mr Oliver Barker, Banzi Geotechnics.
DAY 2 – Tuesday 25 June:
COAL GEOLOGY, BASIN ANALYSIS AND SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENTS
08:00-09:00 – Registration
09:00-10:30 - Sedimentary environments for coal formation. Prof B Cairncross, Univ of Jhb
10:30-11:00 – Tea
11:00-13:00 - Tectonic setting of coal basins and Gondwana coal overview. Prof B Cairncross, Univ of Jhb
13:00-14:00 – Lunch
14:00-15:15 - Stratigraphy and sedimentology of the Northern Karoo basin coalfields Prof B Cairncross, Univ of
Jhb
15:15-15:30 – Tea
15:30-17:00 - Factors affecting coal seam quality distribution. Prof B Cairncross, Univ of Jhb
DAY 3 – Wednesday 26 June:
PRINCIPLES, PRACTICE AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS IN COAL EXPLORATION
08:00-09:00 – Registration
09:00-10:30 – Principles of coalfield exploration. Site assessment, planning, drilling programmes. Mining geology
principles with application to coal mining; mining methods; mine design, layout, planning and
exploitation. Mrs Lesley Jeffrey, Rio Tinto/Mr John Sparrow, Coal of Africa
10:30-11:00 – Tea
11:00-13:00 – Sampling methodology to apply during coal exploration programmes including the sampling and
taking of sample increments in respect of bulk sample boreholes and the introduction of bias – with
specific case histories in difficult geological areas. Contamination and dilution, and the effect on
coal qualities, costs and the environment Mrs Lesley Jeffrey, Rio Tinto/Mr John Sparrow, Coal of
Africa
13:00-14:00 – Lunch
14:00-15:15 – Summary of risk management including geology, mining marketing and utilisation potential of
reserves and
their products. Mrs Lesley Jeffrey, Rio Tinto/Mr John Sparrow, Coal of Africa
15:15-15:30 – Tea
15:30-17:00 - Public reporting and the codes used. Purpose and principles of SAMREC and SANS
10320. Definitions of resources and reserves and the categories under them. RPEEE. Roles and
responsibilities of Competent Persons and Technical Specialises. CPRs and compliance documents.
Estimation process (from GTIS to Sales). Mr John Sparrow, Coal of Africa
DAY 4 – Thursday 27 June:
CARBON CAPTURE/STORAGE; UNDERGROUND GASIFICATION
08:00-09:00 – Registration
09:00-11:00 - Advanced coal analyses for quality assessments in geological exploration; impact on
washability, beneficiation potential and marketability. Prof R Falcon, CCT Wits
11:00-11:15 – Tea
11:15 -13:00 - Carbon capture and storage (CCS) - current developments in Southern Africa. Prof T Surridge,
SANEDI/SACCCS
13:00-14:00 – Lunch
14:00-15:15 - Underground gasification – current and future developments. Prof Mark van der Riet, Eskom
15:15-15:30 – Tea
15:30-17:00 – Underground gasification – current and future developments. Prof Mark van der Riet, Eskom
DAY 5 – Friday 28 June:
COURSE ON DOWNHOLE GEOPHYSICAL EXPLORATION TECHNIQUES
09:00-13:00– Downhole geophysical exploration techniques as used in the coal - Mr John Jeffrey,
Weatherford
REMAINING COURSE PROGRAMME FOR 2013
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July 8-12
- Coal Combustion and Power Generation
August 19-23 - Coal and the Environment
October 14-18 - Coal Conversion and Gasification
CONTACT DETAILS:
TECHNICAL ENQUIRIES:
Prof Falcon / Mrs Maggie Blair - 011 717-7387/8 or 082 451 4753
rosemary.falcon@wits.ac.za or margaret.blair@wits.ac.za
DAILY and WEEK LONG INDUSTRIAL ATTENDANCE:
Mrs Lesley Stephenson 083 679 0697 (lstephenson@mweb.co.za)
FORMAL ACADEMIC INQUIRIES:
School of Mining Engineering: Mrs Mona Shah – 011 717 7409
School Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering: Mrs Vanessa Naidoo – 011 717 7521