Repurposing former mines to catalyse Power-to-X (PtX) production: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and a consortium led by d-fine GmbH, together with Enicon and Frontier Economics, are launching the Mine2Ammonia: Renewable Ammonia Solution Study. As part of the H2Uppp programme, the public–private partnership will assess the technical, economic, environmental, and regulatory feasibility of producing green ammonia at decommissioned or rehabilitating mines in South Africa, leveraging existing infrastructure, groundwater management systems, and available land.
The approach aims to repurpose mining assets to unlock new industrial value creation in regions undergoing structural change, particularly former coal-mining areas central to South Africa’s Just Transition. By using treated acid mine drainage as process water, the concept seeks to reduce pressure on scarce freshwater resources — an approach also highlighted in a recent study by the Embassy of the Netherlands as suitable for green hydrogen and PtX production in water-scarce contexts.
Within the PPP, the consortium will:
- Develop and test a concept for ammonia production using a selected mine as a reference site, including technical and economic feasibility
- Analyse environmental impacts and applicable legal requirements, including mining legislation
- Engage mining operators and regulators on framework conditions and permitting needs
- Shortlist five decommissioned mines in North West, Mpumalanga, and KwaZulu-Natal, from which one site will be selected for detailed assessment
- Examine whether private rehabilitation funds can be mobilised to support hydrogen and PtX project development at former mine sites
The project originated in South Africa during a business case lab initiated by H2Uppp and was subsequently taken up by the German Energy Solutions Initiative’s consortium-building programme. Participating companies are part of the mine-focused consortium and will align analyses and outcomes with relevant technology providers.
