Proposed Yzermyn underground coal mine: coal export market dynamics

The analysis contends that global coal import markets are declining, specifically in Asia and Europe, which undermines the claim that new South African coal reserves are necessary to meet international demand. It highlights India's intent to phase out thermal coal imports and Europe's shift toward renewable energy and natural gas, while noting that China has ceased importing South African coal since 2014.

• International coal trade is expected to contract, with imports to Asia—the largest thermal coal import market—projected to decrease by 183 MMst between 2013 and 2020. Global coal imports by 2040 are expected to be lower than they were in 2013.
• India, which received 40% of South Africa's coal exports in recent years, intends to completely stop importing thermal coal within two to three years. In July 2016, the country's largest thermal coal importer, NTPC, eliminated all coal imports for that year.
• European coal imports are projected to drop by 30Mt between 2015 and 2040 as France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom replace coal-fired power with natural gas and renewable energy.
• China has not imported coal from South Africa since 2014. The Chinese government has ordered 13 provincial governments to stop approving new coal-fired power plants until the end of 2017 and aims to reduce coal production by 60 Mt in 2016 and 500 Mt over the following three to five years.
• South Africa faces increased competition from Mozambique's new greenfield projects and the improved export competitiveness of Russia and Colombia following currency collapses in 2015/16.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2016). Proposed Yzermyn underground coal mine: coal export market dynamics. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Annexure-I-coal-export-market-dynamics.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. Proposed Yzermyn underground coal mine: coal export market dynamics. 2016. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Annexure-I-coal-export-market-dynamics.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=Proposed Yzermyn underground coal mine: coal export market dynamics |date=August 2016 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Annexure-I-coal-export-market-dynamics.pdf?x21779 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2016proposed, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{Proposed Yzermyn underground coal mine: coal export market dynamics}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2016}, month = aug, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Annexure-I-coal-export-market-dynamics.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }