Rio Tinto makes first coal shipment‎ from Mozambique

Giant miner Rio Tinto (LON:RIO) said Monday that it has started exporting premium hard coking coal from its Mozambique Benga Mine, its first shipment of 34,000 tons has left the Port of Beira, and is bound for an Indian steel mill.

Rio Tinto Energy CE, Doug Ritchie, said the shipment marked an important point in the phased development of the group’s tier one coking coal resources in Mozambique.

“It is the first step towards our aim to become a significant supplier of hard coking coal to the seaborne market,” Ritchie said.

The Benga mine, a joint venture between Rio Tinto (65%) and Tata Steel (35%), is located in one of the world’s most prospective coking coal regions, the Moatize basin of Tete, in the north of the African country, he added.

“We are continuing to work with the government of Mozambique to secure the development of comprehensive infrastructure for efficient transport of coal from mine to port, which is a priority for the further development of the region,” Ritchie said.