Malawi imports about 65,000 tonnes of coal per year and spends around
US$3.9 million annually.
This trend can be changed if local miners including Jalawe Coal Mine, Chombe Coal Mine, Mchenga Coal Mine, Kasikizi Coal Mine, Lisikwa Coal Mine, Nkhayuti Coal Mine and Nkhachira Coal Mine are fully supported by local industries and government.
For example, Jalawe Coal Mine is capable of producing at least 100 tonnes per month to supply the tobacco industry and other industries including brewery companies.
Malawi’s coal deposits are of good quality with low ash content and less sulfur hence suitable for sustainable use without influencing much climate change.
According to Grain Malunga a minerals expert and former minister of Mines and Energy in the Bingu wa Mutharika regime, Malawi has good potential to benefit from its coal deposits and other minerals for economic development.
Companies such as Mean Jalawe Coal Mine need to b supported fully so that local investors should benefit from their natural resources. ‘
Said Malunga; “Coal mines in Malawi require government support in terms of offering conducive incentives for them to graduate from small scale to medium such as Mchenga Coal mine. Mchenga, Chombe Mines and Maen Jalawe have the capacity to produce coal at the scale of the recently launched Kaskizi Coal Mine.”
Former Chief Geologist, James Chatupa concurred with Malunga that the mining industry in Malawi is not being fully utilised but has got huge potential.
Chatupa said in an interview that Malawi spends a lot of resources importing coal from neighbouring countries including Mozambique.
“Companies such as Mean Jalaw, Chombe , Kasikizi, Nkhayuti and Nkhachira have the capacity to supply local demand and meet the export demand. What government needs to do is to support local companies in growing their production capacity through removal of non tariff barriers.”
Mining industry in Malawi is currently contributing about 1 percent to the GDP and has the potential to contribute 20%. Currently the industry employs abour 40,000 people and has the capacity to employ about 200,000 people.
