Brazilian miner Vale has begun mining activities at its $1.66bn Moatize coal mine in the Tete province of Mozambique.
The coal mine will produce 11 million tons of metallurgical and thermal coal per year and the company plans to start production in July 2011.
Vale will transport coal from the Moatize mine to a coal terminal, which is now under construction at the Port of Beira in the Sofala province of Mozambique.
The coal will be transported via the Sena railway line, over a distance of 600 kilometres.
According to the company, over 7,500 workers have been involved in the Moatize coal project since its implementation works started in 2008.