Anglo Coal

Anglo American PLC 30 August 2002 News Release 30 August 2002 IMMEDIATE RELEASE Anglo Coal sells KwaZulu-Natal reserves to empowerment venture Anglo Coal, international coal producer and a division of Anglo American plc, has announced the sale of its KwaZulu-Natal coal reserves - comprising an estimated 104 million saleable tons - to Leeuw Mining and Exploration (Pty) Ltd (LME), a black empowerment company. JPI Leeuw and Associates, also a black empowerment company in the property development sector, holds an 80% stake in LME while the management of LME hold 10%. Zimele, Anglo American's business development and empowerment unit, takes a minority investment of 10%. LME benefits from the technical assistance of ATD (the technical services division of Anglo American) and Hatch Africa, an engineering consulting firm. An independent management consultancy, PricewaterhouseCoopers Corporate Finance (Pty) Ltd, and Zimele have overseen the financial and commercial aspects of the new venture. Commenting on the transaction, Anglo Coal chairman and CEO Tony Redman says, "The sale of our KwaZulu-Natal reserves to LME is a significant step for both the coal industry and the mining sector as a whole." Willy Leeuw, managing director of LME, responds, "It is tremendously exciting for LME as a small-scale mining firm to benefit from the support of an international coal producer such as Anglo Coal as well as the guidance and skills transfer from Zimele and our technical partners." "In accordance with the principles of Sustainable Development," adds Leeuw, "the venture is sensitive to the environmental issues associated with mining. LME will ensure that all mining efforts will comply with national protocols in this regard. Further to this, LME has a social responsibility programme directed at the neighbouring communities." Initial mining and development is currently planned to commence in the last quarter of 2002. Vaalkrantz, an anthracite reserve and part of the Vryheid coalfields, will be mined for its good quality anthracite, while the bituminous coal reserve, Braakfontein (Klip River coalfield), shows potential as a multi-product, opencast and underground mine. The potential of the other reserves sold to LME, notably in the Vryheid, Utrecht and Newcastle areas, are currently being assessed. ENDS Photograph attached: From left, Mrs Lepule Leboela (chairman of Leeuw Mining and Exploration) Anglo Coal's chief operating officer for SA Operations John Wallington, Willy Leeuw (managing director of Leeuw Mining and Exploration), Ken Bell, Anglo Coal's senior vice president for technical services, and Nick van Rensburg, managing director of Zimele Media queries: Anglo Coal Zimele Marion Dixon Samantha Hunt Tel: 011 638 3001 Tel: 011 849 7699 Cell: 082 775 5520 Cell: 082 452 2566 Email: madixon@angloamerican.co.za Email: frog_comm@iafrica.com Note to editors Anglo American Group companies have been at the forefront of measures to promote black economic empowerment (BEE) and have spent some R10 billion in empowerment transactions and more than R3 billion on procurement from black-owned business and black business development. Zimele was launched by Anglo American in 1989, as the then Small Business Initiative, to facilitate economic empowerment in South Africa through investing in existing enterprises or the establishment of new enterprises that are commercially viable and sustainable. Zimele, derived from Zulu and Xhosa, means 'to be independent'. The fund has been successful in integrating small businesses into the mainstream economy and, by the end of 2001, more than 70 small businesses had been created. Zimele is currently invested in 19 companies. Its investment in LME brings this figure to 20. In 2001 the businesses had a combined turnover of R145 million and 1,234 employees. Recent black empowerment initiatives by Anglo Coal: In February 2001, Eyesizwe Coal celebrated the conclusion of an empowerment transaction facilitated by Anglo Coal and Billiton Coal, for a consideration of R360 million, creating the fourth largest coal producer in South Africa. Earlier this week Anglo Coal announced that three Vryheid local community groups acquired Anglo Coal Coronation Colliery land. Sustainable development is the cornerstone of this deal in which the local communities took ownership of land previously owned by Anglo Coal's Vryheid Coronation Colliery (VCC) in KwaZulu-Natal. At a signing ceremony, the Zamokuhle Residents Association Trust, the Vrede Community Trust and the Mthethwa Tribal Authority Trust acquired more than 2000 hectares on three farms. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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