Turning a challenge into an opportunity

Transitioning from coal in South Africa

The South African energy sector is heavily dependent on coal and 150 years of intensive coal mining have produced about a billion tonnes of discarded thermal-grade coal fines. These can potentially cause environmental and health problems.

Sappi Southern Africa turned this challenge into an opportunity by establishing a demonstration plant for manufacturing fuel rods at Ngodwana Mill. The rods, which comprise a mixture of waste coal slurry (from discarded thermal-grade coal fines), biomass and lignosulphonates, have been tested in one of the boilers at Tugela Mill. Positive results have been achieved and we have now established at a pilot plant at Tugela Mill.


Turning a challenge into an opportunity

Ngodwana Mill
Ngodwana Mill has been in operation since 1966 and entered the dissolving pulp (DP) market in 2013 with the conversion of part of the mill’s paper grade pulp production to DP.
Tugela Mill
Tugela Mill has been in operation since 1945 and is currently the oldest purpose-built mill in the Sappi group. The mill produces pulp for its own consumption, containerboard (corrugating medium) and lignosulphonate for export.
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Acting on climate change

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