Brief history of coal mining in South Africa
Brief history of coal mining in South Africa. 300 to 1880 Coal used in South Africa during Iron Age when charcoal was used to melt iron and copper 1864 Commercial coal mining commences in the eastern Cape near Molteno Early 1870s The discovery of diamonds in the Kimberley area leads to the expansion of the coal mines in order to meet growing demand for power Late 1880s Commercial coal mining