Prospects for Coal Briquettes as a Substitute Fuel for Wood and ...

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mining. Coal deposits of higher quality of unknown mounts are located
about 30 km farther north. The location of these reserves relative to
the populated areas, and hence the high transportation costs, makes
their use for production of coal briquettes doubtful. However, there
have been discoveries of lignite deposits much closer to populated
areasI which would be useful for briquetting. Probable reserves of
lignite have been estimated at some 2.6 MMtonnes. The calorific value
of the coal is 4000 kcal/kg. The UNDP/World Bank C19841 estimates that
these l5gnite reserves could suppl] 20% of the cook-lng needs in Niger
for about 8 years.
The recommendations of the UNDP/Worl d Bank regarding tradi tlonal energy
are (1) to pursue cook stove programs to provide 5ome immediate
alleviation of the fuelwood crisis, and (2) to pursue the development of
1 ignite as a possible substitute for fuel wood by further reconnaissance
and drilling to determine the extent of reserves and costs of mining.
Swazilm. The Kingdom of Swazilandr landlocked between South Africa
and Mozambique, ha5 a re1 atively hisih per capita GDP !US$890) by African
standards. The country is we1 1-encowed with natural resourcesI but is
experiencing rapid population growth, low productivity in agriculture,
and acute fuelwood deficits, The population is 85% rural and grading at
2.4% per year. The urban population is rapidly expanding at nearly 6%
per year.
Sixty percent of total energy consumption Is derfved from fuelwood. In
1980, 5508000 cubic meters (or 126~000 Toe) of wood were produced.
Information on the extent of the fuelwood crisis was Linavailable, but it
is known that large quantities of land have been denuded.
Coal reserves are estimated at almost 2,000 MMtonnes includlng 200
MMtonnes of good-qual ity steam coal. At present, about 9m of total
production is extracted from the Mpaka colliery. Seventy percent of
the coal fs used domestically with the remainder exported to Kenya,
Mozambique, and the Republ ic of Korea. The development of an 6001000
tonnes/yr anthracite mine is presently under consideration. The rail
system for coal is under modernization, and overall, the transportation
infrastructure is i n good condition.
The potential for coal briquetting depends on a number of factors for
which there is no available informationl particularly with regards to
charcoal production and costs and selling prices of coal. On the basis
of existing information, further evaluation is clearly warranted. An
energy sector assessment by the UNDP/World Bank is planned or 1s to be
cornpl eted within the next six months,
Tanzania. The economy of Tanzania 1s primarily agricultural, prwiding
80% of export earnings and 90% of total mployment.C211 Approximately
8% of the population is considered rural and the rmaining 1Ei is
scattered in mal1 towns. The rate of population growth is 3.0% per
year in rural areas and 6.1% in urban locations.
Tanzania is one of the most h-ighly dependent countries on traditional
energy in the African continent, with Over 90% of the population