Lok Sabha Question No. 1791 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-13
Subject: Underground and Opencast Mines
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Pashupati Nath Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1791 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2023

## Underground and Opencast Mines

## †1791. SHRI PASHUPATI NATH SINGH:

## Will the Minister of Coal be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  details  of  the  average  coal  production  each  year  from  both  the underground  and  open-cast  mines  of  the  country,  subsidiary  /  quality  / quantity-wise;
- (b) whether there is any proposal to increase coal production from underground mines;
- (c) if so, the details thereof along with outline of the scheme in this regard; and
- (d)  the  steps  being  taken to increase coal production by adopting low cost technology?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

- (a): The details of Subsidiary-wise, Quality and Quantity wise coal production from underground (UG) and open-cast (OC) mines in the country during last three years is enclosed as Annexure.
- (b) & (c): In order to increase coal production from underground mines, Coal India  Limited  (CIL)  has  prepared  a  roadmap  wherein  it  has  envisaged production from underground mines to reach about 100 MT by 2027-28 and beyond.

To  achieve  this  quantum  jump  in  UG  production,  CIL  has  formulated strategies that include use of more and more Mass Production Technology (MPT)  like  Continuous  Miners  (CM)  wherever  feasible,  implementing  large number of Highwall Mines to improve percentage of extraction and exploit idle coal which otherwise would be lost forever in the old / discontinued / running OC mines, planning high capacity UG mines with higher degree of digitization, revival of loss making mines where ever possible through introduction of MPT. Improvement in productivity of the current mines through reengineering and amalgamation etc.

- (d): The following steps being taken to increase coal production by adopting low cost technology:-
- Utilizing indigenous machine  technologies for mining  operations and  adoption of mechanisation of mines.
- To reduce the cost for sand stowing, coal companies utilizing bottom ash in some mines and also established processed over burden plants to replace the sand in some mines for stowing operation.
- Implementing better resource management practices to minimize waste and maximize resource utilization, thereby reducing overall production costs.
- Implementing energy-efficient technologies and practices to minimize energy  consumption  during  the  extraction  and  processing  of  coal, consequently reducing operational costs.
- Conducting  regular  cost  audits  and  implementing  cost  optimization programs  to  identify  areas  where  expenses  can  be  reduced  without compromising productivity or safety.
- Continuous miners are in operation.
- Use of high capacity Excavators, Dumpers and Surface Miner in Open Cast Mines.

****

| (A) Subsidiary wise, Quality, Quantity wise, Opencast &Underground coal production during FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23   | (A) Subsidiary wise, Quality, Quantity wise, Opencast &Underground coal production during FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23   | (A) Subsidiary wise, Quality, Quantity wise, Opencast &Underground coal production during FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23   | (A) Subsidiary wise, Quality, Quantity wise, Opencast &Underground coal production during FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23   | (A) Subsidiary wise, Quality, Quantity wise, Opencast &Underground coal production during FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23   | (A) Subsidiary wise, Quality, Quantity wise, Opencast &Underground coal production during FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23   | (A) Subsidiary wise, Quality, Quantity wise, Opencast &Underground coal production during FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23   | (A) Subsidiary wise, Quality, Quantity wise, Opencast &Underground coal production during FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23   |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Name of Subsidiaries                                                                                                 | Quality/                                                                                                             | Fig in Million Tonnes                                                                                                | Fig in Million Tonnes                                                                                                | Quantity                                                                                                             | Produced                                                                                                             | Fig in Million Tonnes                                                                                                | Fig in Million Tonnes                                                                                                |
|                                                                                                                      | Grade                                                                                                                | Open cast Mines                                                                                                      | Open cast Mines                                                                                                      | Open cast Mines                                                                                                      | Underground Mines                                                                                                    | Underground Mines                                                                                                    | Underground Mines                                                                                                    |
|                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                      | 2020-21                                                                                                              | 2021-22                                                                                                              | 2022-23                                                                                                              | 2020-21                                                                                                              | 2021-22                                                                                                              | 2022-23                                                                                                              |
| ECL                                                                                                                  | Coking Coal                                                                                                          | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.015                                                                                                                | 0.014                                                                                                                | 0.007                                                                                                                |
|                                                                                                                      | Non-Coking Coal                                                                                                      | 35.695                                                                                                               | 23.432                                                                                                               | 26.050                                                                                                               | 9.294                                                                                                                | 8.982                                                                                                                | 8.961                                                                                                                |
| BCCL                                                                                                                 | Coking Coal                                                                                                          | 22.776                                                                                                               | 28.236                                                                                                               | 33.030                                                                                                               | 0.608                                                                                                                | 0.806                                                                                                                | 0.686                                                                                                                |
|                                                                                                                      | Non-Coking Coal                                                                                                      | 1.272                                                                                                                | 1.470                                                                                                                | 2.463                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                |
| CCL                                                                                                                  | Coking Coal                                                                                                          | 14.842                                                                                                               | 16.989                                                                                                               | 20.397                                                                                                               | 0.201                                                                                                                | 0.175                                                                                                                | 0.157                                                                                                                |
|                                                                                                                      | Non-Coking Coal                                                                                                      | 47.324                                                                                                               | 51.102                                                                                                               | 54.827                                                                                                               | 0.222                                                                                                                | 0.581                                                                                                                | 0.706                                                                                                                |
| NCL                                                                                                                  | Coking Coal                                                                                                          | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                |
|                                                                                                                      | Non-Coking Coal                                                                                                      | 115.042                                                                                                              | 122.431                                                                                                              | 131.169                                                                                                              | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                |
| WCL                                                                                                                  | Coking Coal                                                                                                          | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.181                                                                                                                | 0.158                                                                                                                | 0.094                                                                                                                |
|                                                                                                                      | Non-Coking Coal                                                                                                      | 46.873                                                                                                               | 54.665                                                                                                               | 61.396                                                                                                               | 3.221                                                                                                                | 2.883                                                                                                                | 2.793                                                                                                                |
| SECL                                                                                                                 | Coking Coal                                                                                                          | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.219                                                                                                                | 0.225                                                                                                                | 0.248                                                                                                                |
|                                                                                                                      | Non-Coking Coal                                                                                                      | 138.430                                                                                                              | 130.987                                                                                                              | 155.364                                                                                                              | 11.957                                                                                                               | 11.302                                                                                                               | 11.394                                                                                                               |
| MCL                                                                                                                  | Coking Coal                                                                                                          | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                |
|                                                                                                                      | Non-Coking Coal                                                                                                      | 147.478                                                                                                              | 167.667                                                                                                              | 192.821                                                                                                              | 0.535                                                                                                                | 0.500                                                                                                                | 0.441                                                                                                                |
| NEC                                                                                                                  | Coking Coal                                                                                                          | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                |
|                                                                                                                      | Non-Coking Coal                                                                                                      | 0.036                                                                                                                | 0.028                                                                                                                | 0.200                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                |
| SCCL                                                                                                                 | Coking Coal                                                                                                          | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                | 0.000                                                                                                                |
|                                                                                                                      | Non-Coking Coal                                                                                                      | 46.065                                                                                                               | 58.764                                                                                                               | 59.938                                                                                                               | 4.515                                                                                                                | 6.258                                                                                                                | 7.199                                                                                                                |
| Captive&                                                                                                             | Coking Coal                                                                                                          | 4.952                                                                                                                | 4.283                                                                                                                | 5.393                                                                                                                | 0.993                                                                                                                | 0.817                                                                                                                | 0.748                                                                                                                |
| Others                                                                                                               | Non-Coking Coal                                                                                                      | 63.087                                                                                                               | 84.973                                                                                                               | 115.294                                                                                                              | 0.250                                                                                                                | 0.482                                                                                                                | 1.414                                                                                                                |
|                                                                                                                      | Total                                                                                                                | 683.872                                                                                                              | 745.027                                                                                                              | 858.342                                                                                                              | 32.211                                                                                                               | 33.183                                                                                                               | 34.848                                                                                                               |

| (B) Opencast & Underground coal production during FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23 (Million Ton)   | (B) Opencast & Underground coal production during FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23 (Million Ton)   | (B) Opencast & Underground coal production during FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23 (Million Ton)   | (B) Opencast & Underground coal production during FY 2020-21 to FY 2022-23 (Million Ton)   |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Year                                                                                       | Open cast                                                                                  | Under ground                                                                               | Total Production                                                                           |
| 2020-21                                                                                    | 683.872                                                                                    | 32.211                                                                                     | 716.083                                                                                    |
| 2021-22                                                                                    | 745.027                                                                                    | 33.183                                                                                     | 778.210                                                                                    |
| 2022-23                                                                                    | 858.342                                                                                    | 34.848                                                                                     | 893.190                                                                                    |