{"id":97727,"date":"2026-02-21T07:59:40","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T07:59:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/angola\/all-news\/why-is-coal-not-considered-a-critical-mineral"},"modified":"2026-02-21T08:26:48","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T08:26:48","slug":"why-is-coal-not-considered-a-critical-mineral","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/angola\/all-news\/why-is-coal-not-considered-a-critical-mineral","title":{"rendered":"Why is Coal not Considered a Critical Mineral?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Angola. <\/strong> <\/span>Coal is not a rock you will find on a country\u2019s list of critical minerals, but a few have included certain types of coal for strategic reasons.<\/b><\/p>\n

In South Africa\u2019s official Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy, thermal coal is classified as a highly critical mineral due to its importance to energy supply, the economy, and export markets. India has designated metallurgical coal (used in steelmaking) as a critical and strategic mineral that can boost domestic production and reduce reliance on imports.<\/p>\n

In the US, metallurgical coal used for steel production was added to the 2025 List of Critical Minerals published by the Department of the Interior\/Us Geological Survey.<\/p>\n

An argument can be made, though, that coal is vital to Africa\u2019s development as a continent because it can be used to generate energy for mining and industrialisation in a part of the world that holds many critical mineral deposits.<\/p>\n

Does this argument not make coal critical to the energy transition?<\/p>\n

Bookmark for later Financing Africa\u2019s manufacturing is not what you thought it to be<\/p>\n

Subscribe to the ESI Africa newsletter to keep up to date with Finance and Investment news in power, energy and water<\/p>\n

Coal AND renewablesSpeaking on a panel discussion asking Why is coal not considered a critical mineral?, Seriti Resources CEO Mike Teke said a recent trip to China underscored the relevance of coal, as the country\u2019s energy mix remains ~60% coal-dominated. \u201cThey are unapologetic,\u201d said Teke about the country\u2019s coal usage.<\/p>\n

The Far Eastern country has built its dominance in renewables manufacturing on the back of a coal-powered baseload, and Teke reminded that South Africa\u2019s baseload power is also still coal-dominated. Thus, he sees coal as critical to South Africa, even as the country transitions to renewable energy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reality of the matter is, they still carry our economy. If we added one nuclear power station and one more coal-fired power station, then we\u2019d have a strong baseload [for industrialisation].<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, it\u2019s coal AND renewables, and coal will remain part of the transition for a long time,\u201d said Teke.<\/p>\n

Of reference New FutureCoal Chair Mike Teke: \u201cCome out of the coal closet\u201d<\/p>\n

Coal as critical mineral to baseload power<\/p>\n

FutureCoal Director: Strategy & Sustainability Paul Baruya explained that labelling a mineral as critical is defined on a country-by-country basis, and \u201cwhat is clear is the US… has completely torn up the rulebook, they\u2019ve seen the value of coal-fired power station,\u201d said Baruya.<\/p>\n

He pointed out that coal-fired power stations provided around 40% of the electricity needed in the North West region of the US during recent winter storms at the beginning of 2026.<\/p>\n

Baruya indicated that grid experts who monitor minute-by-minute electricity demand and supply will constantly talk about getting the timing right in order to maintain grid frequency. \u201cIf you don\u2019t time your solar and wind… you know this better than any other country on the planet, you know what happens. In the rest of the world, they don\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

Contact our sales team to position your Powering Industry and Mining brand<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have 50Hz on the grid, you just need half a herz deviation, and you will have grid collapse, so it is important that coal is there [to make up] for the flexibility [of renewables],\u201d said Baruya.<\/p>\n

He recently heard UK grid experts talk about bringing back coal-fired power, something he never thought he would hear anyone say. \u201cBut, they\u2019re saying it shouldn\u2019t be ruled out,\u201d Baruya recounted.Mapping South Africa\u2019s coal reserves for future energy planning<\/p>\n

Siphelele Buthelezi, Executive Manager of the Council of Geoscience, said geological mapping has reduced uncertainty around coal reserves in key coal-bearing provinces in South Africa. Their research shows the country \u201cwill probably have in excess of 60 billion tonnes of coal remaining. The quality is suitable for power generation and export-grade blending.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Council\u2019s research is influencing South Africa\u2019s energy planning around:<\/p>\n

Security of supply (improving classification and answering the question around what the long-term baseload is to inform planning and assumptions);<\/p>\n

Spatial planning (if you look at new areas, you need to know how to plan infrastructure, so you don\u2019t sterilise a potential mine or power plant); and<\/p>\n

Environmental integration<\/p>\n

\u201cMapping doesn\u2019t advance whether coal is critical; it just defines the envelope in which energy planning can operate,\u201d explained Buthelezi.<\/p>\n

Of interest Trump tariffs to reshape Africa\u2019s critical minerals outlook<\/p>\n

Exploring high efficiency, low emissions technologies<\/p>\n

CEO of the Coaltech Research Association Avhurengwi Nengovhela said they are working with different partners on high-efficiency low-emissions projects that should hopefully allow utilities to continue to operate coal-fired power plants while still meeting emissions regulations.<\/p>\n

There are also six projects centred on exploring different pathways to extract Rare Earth Elements (REEs) for wind turbines and solar panels. \u201cWhen you\u2019re looking at waste valorisation, can we get to a point where the fly ash dump can be reclaimed for REEs? Then we\u2019re talking a different economy,\u201d said Negovhela.<\/p>\n

Have you read? Coal ash may hold key to local rare earth supply<\/p>\n

The Association is also working with Eskom on the utility\u2019s High Efficiency Low Emission (HELE) technologies research. This focuses on developing a more efficient use of coal that requires less fuel per MWh generated.<\/p>\n

Buthelezi reinforced Nengovhela\u2019s interest in R&D, saying her personal focus is on ensuring that South Africa is investing enough into science and research that looks at innovations \u201cto make coal compatible with a lower carbon future.<\/p>\n

ESI<\/b><\/p>\n

Find more news and analyses on Angola<\/span> on the Africa Press<\/span> website<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Angola. Coal is not a rock you will find on a country\u2019s list of critical minerals, but a few have included certain types of coal for strategic reasons. In South Africa\u2019s official Critical Minerals and Metals Strategy, thermal coal is classified as a highly critical mineral due to its importance to energy supply, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":97726,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,6],"tags":[329],"class_list":["post-97727","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-files","tag-angola"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy is Coal not Considered a Critical Mineral? - Angola<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"-article-header-tag"> Africa-Press - Angola. 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