African Energy Resources bulks up thermal coal sampling as large scale testing draws nearer

African Energy Resources (ASX: AFR) is drawing close completing the excavation of a bulk sample of coal at the Sese Thermal Coal Project, with large scale testing to follow.

The Sese project, in northeast Botswana, has an initial JORC Resource of 2.73 billion tonnes of coal. A Bankable Feasibility Study and Environmental Impact Assessment are underway to evaluate a mining operation of up to 5 million tonnes per annum of coal.

About 15,000 tonnes of coal will be stockpiled, from both the upper and lower sections of the Sese Main Seam, for the bulk sample.

Coal from the bulk sample will be used for a series of large scale tests, including:

- Export trials to test the capacity and freight tariffs using the existing rail/port infrastructure
- Combustion tests for power station boilers to assist negotiations of coal sales agreements to power station customers
- Confirmation of the washing yields derived from previous testing of slimline drill core samples. This will confirm the product specification ranges of washed coal for sale
- An assessment of the coal’s suitability for coal to liquids processing which if favourable will be followed by a large scale test programme utilising 500 tonnes or more coal
- Samples of coal from the bulk sample will be made available to potential industrial customers to undertake their own testwork.

Other testwork to be carried out will be determined by the Bankable Feasibility Study.

A 60 tonne batch of coal has been sent to a processing facility in South Africa for processing.

The Sese project includes one prospecting licence and a number of prospecting licence applications, close to rail, road and power infrastructure.

Originally published at: http://www.proactiveinvestors.com.au/companies/news/24605/african-energy-resources-bulks-up-thermal-coal-sampling-as-large-scale-testing-draws-nearer-24605.html