De Beers, a unit of Anglo American has announced plans to sell its 50% stake in Morupule coal mine (MCM) in Botswana to the government.

The company’s latest move is part of a plan by Anglo American to cut down its commodities portfolio.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Reuters quoted Minerals Development Company of Botswana (MDCB) CEO Paul Smith as saying that De Beers’ stake in the mine will be transferred to company.

“With the acquisition of De Beers’ stake in MCM, the government’s ownership in the mine will be 100%.”

With the acquisition of De Beers’ stake in MCM, the government’s ownership in the mine will be 100%.

After implementation of the deal, the assets of the mine will be transferred to the newly formed MDCB.

MDCB did not disclose the price of the stake.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

The stake in MCM is owned by De Beers through Debswana Diamond Mining, which is a joint venture with the Government of Botswana.

MCM, which is located on the outskirts of Palapye, Botswana, commenced production in 1973 as a subsidiary of Anglo American to supply coal to Bamangwato Concessions (BCL) and the BPC power plant in Selebi Phikwe.

The mine has the capacity to produce 3.2 million tonnes of coal per year.

This year, Anglo American closed its Mmamabula coalfields in Botswana as part of its plans to dispose certain assets.

The sale excluded De Beers platinum, as well as the company’s copper units.

Mining Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Mining Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact

Excellence in Action
Awarded the 2025 Mining Technology Excellence Innovation Award for Equipment Diagnostics, Razor Labs’ DataMind AI™ platform turns sensor data and imagery into actionable maintenance insights, avoiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in downtime. Find out how leading mines are using DataMind AI™ to keep critical assets running.

Discover the Impact