Coal mining and trading company Minergy Coal has resumed production at its Masama coal mine, in the Mmamabula West coalfield of southern Botswana, after successfully entering a mining contract with a new end-to-end services mining contractor, Meropa Resources – a consortium of four Botswana companies – following an unplanned shutdown in early 2023. Having started production in 2018, Minergy Coal encountered various challenges at Masama. Less than a year into its operation, the mine was affected by Covid-19-related challenges, crippling initial efforts to raise more capital as intended in the business case. The setbacks were further compounded by a general retreat of capital from the coal sector, says Minergy Coal CEO Matthews Bagopi.