Name of the Project
Twistdraai Thubelisha coal destoning project.

Location
Secunda, Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Project Owner/s
Integrated energy and chemical company Sasol.

Project Description
The project involves repurposing Sasol’s Twistdraai Thubelisha export coal plant into a ten-million-ton-a-year destoning facility to improve the quality of coal being used in Sasol’s Secunda gasifiers.

The destoning plant will reduce the average ‘sinks’ (rock fragments or other impurities) content of coal being used by the gasifiers to between 12% and 14%, once blended with coal from Sasol’s Bosjesspruit and Twistdraai Thubelisha mines, where the sinks content is estimated at as high as 20%.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
Not disclosed.

Capital Expenditure
The project was completed within a budget of about R700-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Sasol's destoning plant reached beneficial operation in December 2025.

Latest Developments
The project has started improving the quality of coal delivered to its Secunda Operations. 

Sasol has said the plant is now producing coal with a total sinks content of about 12%, meaning fewer rock fragments and other impurities, which should reduce damage to Secunda’s gasifiers and improve gasifier yields and, consequently, support higher synthesis gas production for fuels and chemicals. 

Sasol might still need to expand destoning capacity as in-house production ramps up, but it has noted that there is other coal-washing capacity available and it could also consider toll processing.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
Not disclosed.

Contact Details for Project Information
Sasol, tel +27 10 344 5000 or email media@sasol.com.