Sufficient energy availability and utilization lie at the core of not only the mining industry but
also the economic growth of South Africa. The mining industry is one of the major consumers of
electricity in South Africa; accounting for approximately 17.4 percent. The focal point of the
research project was on New Denmark Colliery; an Anglo American Thermal Coal operation
located in the Mpumalanga Province. The main objective of the research project was to analyse
energy consumption, economics and management at the mine. The study provides a
framework for understanding significant energy uses in a mining operation; electricity costs and
some of the mechanisms, tools and initiatives that can be used to manage energy optimally. This
provides the mining industry with a platform to become part of the energy solution in South Africa. The author conducted comparative time series studies to determine energy consumption as a
function of production, specific activities at the mine, carbon dioxide emissions, electricity
costs; from which the forecasts were made to determine the amount of electricity consumption
and costs in the future. It can be submitted from the monthly comparative studies that more
electricity is consumed during high demand season (June, July and August); as a result the costs
are also very high. It was concluded that mining, ventilation and coal transportation consume
relatively more electricity compared to other activities at the mine. It was further submitted
that the higher the level of production the higher the quantity of electricity consumption and
vice versa. It was further concluded that although the amount of electricity consumption has been
fluctuating over the years, electricity costs have been escalating at an alarming rate due to
change in tariff rate, inflation and the structure of the tariff. The cost of power will increase
drastically over the next five years, due to uncertainty regarding the magnitude of the pending
Eskom tariff increases. It was recommended that mining operations must create energy
management models for their mining operations in order to reduce the amount of electricity
consumption, minimize the electricity costs and secure long term electricity supply. Models
created must be aligned to company vision, organizational structure and also operational
practice at the mine.