Edenville Energy adds two new trucks for Rukwa coal project

Coal mine developer Edenville Energy has taken delivery of two recently acquired 30-tonne trucks to be used in mining load and haul at its Rukwa coal project in southwest Tanzania.

Bought with proceeds from its May fundraising, the new trucks will provide the backbone of load and haul operations at the project.

The AIM-listed company had previously relied on trucks supplied by contractors, which in the past had proved to be both an "expensive and inefficient option".

Edenville's two new trucks, which it said may eventually be supplemented with additional units as the project expands, will operate on a two-shift per day basis, compared to the single shift for the previous contractor's trucks, increasing the amount of coal that can be delivered to the company's wash plant.

As a result, Edenville's wash plant was expected to move to a double shift basis, boosting productivity at the project as a result.

Chief executive Rufus Short said: "Adding these new trucks to the company's fleet should reduce the project's mining costs and enable greater flexibility and extended usage in operations.

"As the Northern Mining area continues to yield encouraging results, our reliance on contractors is diminishing and our overall efficiency improving."

As of 0845 BST, Edenville shares had dropped 4.76% to 0.050p.