Optimum Coal is a black-owned and controlled South African mining group. It is one of South Africa’s largest coal mining companies with an extensive operational footprint located in the Witbank coalfield region of Mpumalanga.

Optimum Coal is the sixth largest producer of thermal coal in southern Africa and is a key supplier of coal to Eskom for energy generation. The company is also South Africa’s fourth largest coal exporter with a significant shareholding of the Richards Bay Coal Terminal.

Optimum Coal is a truly South African and black controlled mining group with economic empowerment as a key objective. The company sets a sterling example of real broad-based black economic empowerment. Not only is Optimum Coal majority black owned, but is a highly successful South African coal mining company with operational control also being in black hands.

Over 60% of Optimum Coal’s shares are owned by black economic empowered shareholders. Optimum Coal brought about true broad-based black economic empowerment by the fact that a large proportion of the company’s shares are owned by two trusts of which its employees and the local communities are beneficiaries. These trusts are instrumental in facilitating enterprise development and social investment by rolling out development initiatives on a daily basis.