Liberation Mining
Location
Hankano Coalfields is situated in Lupane district. The claim is bounded by the Bulawayo/Vic Falls road on the south and by Shangani River on the North. The proposed mine is administratively in Lupane District. It is approximately 250km from Bulawayo and 85km from Hwange. The project area is easily accessible by road and is situated 35km from the Dete railway siding, linking Hwange and Bulawayo. The power line between Hwange and Kwekwe passes through the project area. The Lubimbi Project covers the lower part of the Lubimbi coalfields, at Hankano and Dahlia coalfields, and is 16 545 hectares in total.
Mining Method
Liberation Mining is conducting an opencast or open cut mining since the coal seam is near the surface. This method recovers a higher proportion of the coal deposit than underground mining, as all coal seams are exploited 90% or more. There is very large pieces of equipment used to exploit the coal.
The overburden of soil and rock is first broken up by explosives; it is then removed by bucket excavators or by mechanical shovel and truck. Once the coal seam is exposed, it is drilled, fractured and systematically mined in strips. The coal is then loaded onto large trucks to the Coal Preparation Plant.
Open-pit mines are typically enlarged until either the mineral resource is exhausted, or an increasing ratio of overburden to ore makes further mining uneconomic. When this occurs, the exhausted mines are rehabilitated and vegetated.
Environmental Monitoring
1. Monitoring and managing the impact of mining operations on local environments and the restoration of areas impacted by mining activities. This involves the communities and other stakeholders.
2. A monitoring program is being implemented to evaluate the progress and success of progressive rehabilitation activities. Monitoring and maintenance are essential components of successful rehabilitation programs.
3. Acid mine generation is monitored and the results are shared with regulators and other stakeholders.
4. The community health and safety monitoring program. The community transcends the mine foot print while grazing cattle, cultivating crops and other activities.
