La Francia Explained

La Francia
Pushpin Map:Colombia
Pushpin Label Position:top
Coordinates:9.6713°N -73.774°W
Place:Becerril & El Paso
Cesar-Ranchería Basin
Subdivision Type:Department
State/Province:Cesar
Products:Coal
Amount:4.1 Megatons
Financial Year:2019
Type:Coal mine
Active Years:2000-2010 (Coalcorp)
2010-2013 (Goldman Sachs)
2013-2014 (Operations suspended)
2015-2020 (Murray Energy)
2020+ (Operations suspended)
Owner:American Consolidated Natural Resources (previously known as Murray Energy)
Acquisition Year:2015

La Francia is a coal mine in the Cesar-Ranchería Basin, located in the municipalities Becerril and El Paso, Cesar, Colombia owned by the Goldman Sachs Group. It mines coal from the Paleocene Los Cuervos Formation, time-equivalent with the Cerrejón Formation, which is mined in the northeastern part of the basin in Latin America's largest coal mine, Cerrejón. In 2016, La Francia produced 11.6 Megatons of coal.[1]

History

The mine was owned by Coalcorp Mining until 2010.[2] It was acquired by Goldman Sachs for US$200 million in 2010.[2]

It closed in January 2013 after the contractor hired by Colombian National Resources opted out,[3] but opened again in January 2014, at a lesser capacity.[4]

During the strikes of 2013, miners occupied the mine and refused offers provided by the companies involved.[5]

In 2015, Murray Energy (now known as American Consolidated Natural Resources) purchased the mine from Goldman Sachs.[6]

As of August 2020, the mine has suspended operations indefinitely.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Producción de carbón en Colombia - UPME
  2. https://www.reuters.com/article/coalcorp-idUSSGE6060ED20100107 UPDATE 1-Coalcorp to sell La Francia mine to Goldman unit
  3. Matthew Bristow, Colombia's Top Coal Mine Reaches Accord That May End Strike, Bloomberg Business, March 4, 2013
  4. Peter Murphy, Exclusive: Goldman Sachs miner halts coal exports from Colombia, Reuters, January 9, 2014
  5. La Francia, mina de carbón lleva meses paralizada
  6. Web site: Goldman Sachs Sells Colombian Coal Mines to Murray Energy. August 13, 2015. Wall Street Journal. en-US.
  7. Web site: Colombian coal firm CNR halts production. 2020-08-07. Argus Media. en.