Young Entrepreneurs Drive Mining Revival with Official Opening of Asure Mining in Mpumalanga
Asure Resources will officially open Asure Colliery in Kriel, Mpumalanga on 17 June 2026, marking the restart of a strategically significant coal asset and the return of previously dormant reserves into active production.
In line with Youth Month commemorations and the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, Asure Resources has positioned the project within a broader transformation framework, with 50% youth and Black representation on its board and 80% of its workforce across group operations comprising women. This reflects a deliberate focus on inclusive economic participation, generational leadership, and structural transformation within South Africa’s mining and investment sectors.
The reopening signals the revival of a previously idled mining operation that had been placed under care and maintenance since 2018. The project represents a renewed phase of industrial activity within Mpumalanga’s Highveld coal basin, a region that continues to play a central role in South Africa’s energy production and export supply chain.
Asure Colliery, formerly known as Fentonia Colliery, forms part of a broader industrial revival strategy led by Asure Resources, a joint venture between E&T Minerals and A-Z Investments. The partnership combines expertise in mining operations, commodity trading, investment structuring, and logistics integration across the regional value chain.
The official opening ceremony will bring together senior representatives from government, the financial sector, mining operators, and logistics and infrastructure stakeholders, reflecting broad-based participation across South Africa’s industrial and energy ecosystem.
Expected attendees include senior leadership from the political, financial, mining, energy, and logistics sectors, underscoring the project’s relevance to national development priorities, industrial capacity utilisation, and supply chain resilience.
The reopening comes at a time when South Africa continues to face sustained labour market pressure. According to Statistics South Africa’s latest data released in May 2026, the official unemployment rate stands at 32.7% in the first quarter of the year, with youth unemployment remaining particularly elevated. The redevelopment of previously dormant industrial assets such as Asure Colliery forms part of wider efforts to stimulate job creation and productive economic activity.
Asure Colliery is located within Mpumalanga’s Highveld coal basin, an area historically associated with coal mining, electricity generation, and heavy industrial activity. The asset carries an estimated life of mine of approximately eight years and is positioned within established infrastructure networks linked to domestic energy supply and export logistics corridors.
The former Fentonia Colliery was previously integrated into Eskom-linked supply arrangements prior to its closure in 2018. Its return to production is expected to contribute to strengthening domestic energy supply chains and supporting regional industrial demand.
Asure Resources has also announced plans to invest in community-based skills development initiatives, including Fourth Industrial Revolution learning labs focused on digital skills, engineering systems, robotics, and artificial intelligence. These initiatives are intended to support long-term workforce development and enhance local economic participation in the Kriel region.
The reopening of Asure Colliery marks a renewed phase of production-led development in Mpumalanga, anchored in industrial recovery, employment creation, and long-term resource utilisation.
ABOUT ASURE RESOURCES
Asure Resources is an African resource and energy company focused on mining, logistics, and commodity development. Established through a partnership between E&T Minerals and A-Z Investments, the company operates assets in Mpumalanga including Asure Colliery in Kriel and a greenfields project in Middelburg, with a focus on energy security, industrial development, and sustainable production.
ABOUT E&T MINERALS
E&T Minerals is a Southern African coal trading and investment firm operating across commodity markets, mine development, and logistics networks within the regional and export coal value chain.
ABOUT A-Z INVESTMENTS
A-Z Investments is a South African investment and trading firm with established capability in commodity-linked ventures, contributing financial structuring and commercial expertise to mining and infrastructure projects.
