Continental Coal eyes expanded African coal operations with concession application in Kenya

Continental Coal (ASX: CCC) has built on initial expressions of interest earlier in the year in Kenya, and has now submitted a tender to the Kenyan Ministry of Energy for one of four coal concession blocks located within the Mui Coal Basin.

Continental has identified Kenya as a strategically important coal development and coal exploration opportunity, which will build on the company's South African focussed thermal coal producing and exporting operations, and the Botswana exploration projects.

Kenya’s Ministry of Energy has been conducting exploration in the Mui Coal Basin for more than ten years, which has focused on four blocks - A, B, C and D, with Continental targeting one of these.

Exploration has included surface geological mapping, geophysical surveys, exploration drilling, detailed coal quality analyses and resource evaluation.

At Block C where the Ministry of Energy focused drilling, in total 54 holes have been drilled ranging from 75 metres to 445 metres, with six coal seams identified varying from 0.3 metres to 13 metres thick.

A Feasibility Study at the block in September 2010 was based on a non-JORC compliant resource of 452 million tonnes and a proposed combined conventional open pit and underground mining operation.

Jason Brewer, managing director, commented "We believe that Continental has all the necessary credentials and experience to successfully advance the concessions into profitable and major coal mining operations for the Government of Kenya.”

The Mui Coal Basin is located 180 kilometres north-east of Nairobi and covers an area of 500 square kilometres.

Originally published at: http://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/18009/continental-coal-eyes-expanded-african-coal-operations-with-concession-application-in-kenya-18009.html