Hi John
The only coal mine in Egypt is the Maghara Mine in North-east Sinai. I
believe that an out crop of coal was discovered in this area just after WW
II but development didn't start on the pit until the 1960's. During the war
with Israel the development drift was blown-up by the Israeli army and the
Egyptian workforce fled to Cairo (most died on the journey I think).
During the 1990's a modern drift mine was developed by the Egyptian state
owned Sinai Coal Company (SCC) with assistance from International Mining
Consultants, Babcock Engineers and Davy McKee of the UK. Most of the project
funding for the mines development was supplied by the British government and
hence all contracts for both surface and underground works went to UK
companies. I worked on the project for a couple of years at the design and
commissioning stages of the mine's coal preparation plant (a 180 tph Baum
washery with coal spirals and slimes presses).
The drift mine works a single seam of relatively poor quality coal using
long wall technology. The products from the mine were planned as power
station fuel plus metallurgical grade coking coal. During my time at the
mine in the late 1990s the SCC were having difficulties in marketing their
initial washed products. Transport links to/from the mine (or the lack of
them) was a major factor I think.
The mine is spread out over half a mile along a very long valley in sparse
and arid limestone terrain. It is the last place on earth you would expect
to find a colliery. If you need any further info. contact me again as I have
plenty of pictures and details available.
Regards
Mark Smith
Visit the UK's National Mining Memorabilia Association's Web site at;
http://freespace.virgin.net/mark.smith30/index.htm or http://clix.to/NMMA
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Shoebridge" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 20 February 2002 23:04
Subject: Coal in Egypt
Hi There Group
Can someone more knowlegable than myself advise me
Is (or was) coal mined in Egypt ?
Details appreciated .
Regards
John
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