October 15, 2009 Xstrata Coal announced that it has received Xstrata plc Board approval for the full implementation of the ATCOM East project in South Africa, at a capital commitment of approximately US$407 million. The new ATCOM East project will be integrated into the existing Xstrata Coal South Africa ("XCSA") ATCOM infrastructure and produce approximately 5.7 million tonnes per annum of run of mine production and 3.1 million tonnes of saleable thermal product for domestic and export markets annually.
March 31, 2008 As part of a restructuring of the Douglas Tavistock Joint Venture (DTJV) with BHP Billiton, Xstrata acquired reserves totalling 157 million ROM tonnes approximately equivalent to its 16% share of the DTJV, in an area contiguous to the ATCOM operations, together with approximately 16% of the major mobile equipment, including a dragline. The restructuring will enable Xstrata Coal to integrate the acquired reserves into Xstrata Coal's ATCOM complex, leveraging existing infrastructure and taking direct management control of the operation, which will be renamed ATCOM East. (Jun 30/08)
In 2003, ATCOM completed the East opencast and moved the dragline to the North Pit where mining will continue at the average rate of 3.2 to 3.5 million tonnes per annum ROM until the year 2015. Mining finishes in 2015. Mining in the North Pit includes the removal of pillars left from previous underground workings. (Mar/02)
