The analysis confirms the potential for a medium to hard coking coal primary product and a thermal coal middling by washing the coal.

In the eight reconnaissance holes drilled at Sinazongwe, African Energy discovered the presence of up to three seams, each being 1-7m thick.

Analysis of the raw coal in these seams has indicated calorific values of up to 6300 kcal/kg on an air-dried basis.

Further testing of the first four drillholes revealed the majority of samples had free swelling indexes above 4.5.

Maximum FSI was 8.5, with a mean FSI of 6.1, indicating some potential for medium to hard coking coal.

FSI analyses of the coal seams in the remaining four holes are expected in the coming weeks and will be reported once received.

Sinazongwe is located in the Gwembe Valley, Zambia’s only coal producing region, where a 300 megawatt power station is under construction to provide electricity for the Zambian domestic market.

African Energy has coal projects in Botswana and Zambia, including its flagship Sese coal and power project in eastern Botswana that contains more than 2.6 billion tonnes of thermal coal.

The company is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and the Botswana Stock Exchange.