Coal and iron pile up in South Africa on rail constraints

Kumba Iron Ore’s struggle in getting supplies to ports is further highlighting the constraints South Africa faces in exporting key commodities including coal.

The continent’s top iron ore producer said its premium steelmaking material is being held up at mines in South Africa’s Northern Cape province because of rail bottlenecks, which may force it to slow output as stockpiles rise. The logistical issues are also affecting the movement of coal, which contributed to prices hitting a record high, major exporter Thungela Resources has said.