Hundreds of old SA coal mines threaten communities and environment

[Hanno Labuschagne]

Hundreds of old SA coal mines threaten communities and environment

South Africa has failed to clean up and secure hundreds of abandoned coal mines that now pose a deadly threat to nearby communities, according to Human Rights Watch.

There are more than 400 empty coal mines across the nation, which exports the fossil fuel and uses it to generate about 80% of its electricity.

[Bloomberg]

 

[system32]

The wider industry in South Africa has left a total of more than 6,000 abandoned mines in its wake.

Some of these (open cast) mines are EOL and have large surface areas - perfect to convert the sites to Solar PV.

 

[wingnut771]

Some of these (open cast) mines are EOL and have large surface areas - perfect to convert the sites to Solar PV.

No grid to connect to surely?

 

[AlphaJohn]

No grid to connect to surely?

They normally build power stations next to the mines for easy transport.

So would guess that some of them are very close.