Lok Sabha Question No. 271 (STARRED), answered on 2015-12-17
Subject: Lignite Coal Reserves
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: ARJUN RAM  MEGHWAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.271 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2015

## Lignite Coal Reserves

## 271. SHRIARJUN MEGHWAL :

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) whether adequate quantity of lignite coal reserves are av ailable in the country;
- (b) if so, the details of the lignite coal mining in the country during each of the last three years, mine-wise;
- (c) whether lignite coal is also utilised for any other purpose other than power generation, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the steps taken to modernise the technology used in mining of the coal reserves in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) IN THE MINISTR Y OF COAL, POWER AND NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## Statement referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question no. 271 for 17.12.2015 regarding'Lignite Coal Reserves' .

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1. Adequate quantity of lignite reservesare available in the country.The details of lignite production(in MT) from the mines for the last 3 years are furnished below:
2. Lignite can be utilized for purposes other than power generation also.  Lignite is used as fuel for  the boilers  in  industries  viz. Cement,  Textile, Chemical, Steel,  Brick kilns and  for other small  industrial  purposes.  NLC  has  also  obtained patent  for Humic Acid,  a  Plant  growth simulator  which is  extracted from lignite.

| I. Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited Mines (NLC)          | I. Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited Mines (NLC)          | I. Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited Mines (NLC)          | I. Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited Mines (NLC)          | I. Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited Mines (NLC)          |
|-------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl.No                                                       | State                                                       | 2012-13                                                     | 2013-14                                                     | 2014-15                                                     |
| 1                                                           | Mine-I &Expn. (TN)                                          | 7.960                                                       | 9.003                                                       | 9.055                                                       |
| 2                                                           | Mine-II &Expn.(TN)                                          | 13.944                                                      | 13.052                                                      | 13.221                                                      |
| 3                                                           | Mine-IA(TN)                                                 | 2.940                                                       | 3.001                                                       | 2.915                                                       |
| 4                                                           | Barsingsar,(Raj)                                            | 1.379                                                       | 1.553                                                       | 1.352                                                       |
|                                                             | Gujarat                                                     |                                                             |                                                             |                                                             |
| Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Limited (GMDC)Mines | Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Limited (GMDC)Mines | Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Limited (GMDC)Mines | Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Limited (GMDC)Mines | Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation Limited (GMDC)Mines |
| 5                                                           | Panandhro                                                   | 2.851                                                       | 2.674                                                       | 2.789                                                       |
| 6                                                           | Rajpardi                                                    | 0.925                                                       | 0.579                                                       | 0.615                                                       |
| 7                                                           | Matanomadh                                                  | 3.297                                                       | 3.004                                                       | 3.211                                                       |
| 8                                                           | Tadkeshwar                                                  | 1.911                                                       | 1.077                                                       | 0.883                                                       |
| 9                                                           | Surkha North                                                | 1.924                                                       | 1.065                                                       | 1.202                                                       |
|                                                             | Umarsar                                                     | 0.000                                                       | 0.000                                                       | 0.013                                                       |
| Gujarat Industrial Power Corporation Limited(GIPCL)Mines    | Gujarat Industrial Power Corporation Limited(GIPCL)Mines    | Gujarat Industrial Power Corporation Limited(GIPCL)Mines    | Gujarat Industrial Power Corporation Limited(GIPCL)Mines    | Gujarat Industrial Power Corporation Limited(GIPCL)Mines    |
| 10                                                          | Vastan                                                      | 0.922                                                       | 0.672                                                       | 0.628                                                       |
| 11                                                          | Mangrol                                                     | 2.404                                                       | 1.735                                                       | 0.357                                                       |
| 12                                                          | Valia                                                       |                                                             | 0.599                                                       | 2.404                                                       |
| Gujarat HeavyChemical Limited(GHCL) Mines (Pvt Limited)     | Gujarat HeavyChemical Limited(GHCL) Mines (Pvt Limited)     | Gujarat HeavyChemical Limited(GHCL) Mines (Pvt Limited)     | Gujarat HeavyChemical Limited(GHCL) Mines (Pvt Limited)     | Gujarat HeavyChemical Limited(GHCL) Mines (Pvt Limited)     |
| 13                                                          | Khadsailya                                                  | 0.313                                                       | 0.182                                                       | 0.195                                                       |
| Rajasthan State Mines &Minerals Limited (RSMML)Mines        | Rajasthan State Mines &Minerals Limited (RSMML)Mines        | Rajasthan State Mines &Minerals Limited (RSMML)Mines        | Rajasthan State Mines &Minerals Limited (RSMML)Mines        | Rajasthan State Mines &Minerals Limited (RSMML)Mines        |
| 14                                                          | Giral                                                       | 0.917                                                       | 0.632                                                       | 0.430                                                       |
| 15                                                          | Sonari                                                      | 0.191                                                       | 0.582                                                       | 0.669                                                       |
| 16                                                          | Kasnau / Matasukh                                           | 0.284                                                       | 0.213                                                       | 0.304                                                       |
| VI. V.S. Lignite (Pvt Limited)                              | VI. V.S. Lignite (Pvt Limited)                              | VI. V.S. Lignite (Pvt Limited)                              | VI. V.S. Lignite (Pvt Limited)                              | VI. V.S. Lignite (Pvt Limited)                              |
| 17                                                          | Gurha East                                                  | 0.815                                                       | 0.890                                                       | 1.005                                                       |
| VII. BarmerLig.Mining Co. Ltd. (BLMCL)Mines                 | VII. BarmerLig.Mining Co. Ltd. (BLMCL)Mines                 | VII. BarmerLig.Mining Co. Ltd. (BLMCL)Mines                 | VII. BarmerLig.Mining Co. Ltd. (BLMCL)Mines                 | VII. BarmerLig.Mining Co. Ltd. (BLMCL)Mines                 |
| 18                                                          | BLMCL                                                       | 3.500                                                       | 3.750                                                       | 6.996                                                       |
|                                                             | Grand Total in Million Tonnes                               | 46.477                                                      | 44.263                                                      | 48.244                                                      |

3. NLC is  mining  lignite and operates pit head power  generating  stations.  As on date NLC  is operating three open cast Lignite mines at Neyveli with a production capacity of 28.5 Million Tonnes Per Annum. In all the three mines, continuous mining technology is being adopted for the  last  five decades  with sophisticated Specialised Mining Equipments (SMEs) viz. Bucket Wheel  Excavators  (BWE),  Mobile  Transfer  Conveyors  (MTC),  system  of  Conveyors  and Spreaders for excavation and transportation of lignite and overburden. Mechanized Conventional Mining Equipment technology comprising of Shovel & Dumper combination is used in Barsingsar lignite Mine, Rajasthan.
4. In  addition  to  the  above,  the  following  measures  have  been  implemented  in  the  existing Mines of  NLC as a part of modernization and  to improve the productivity and safety:-
- i) Wireless  based  centralized  monitoring  operation  and  control  system  in  one  of  the benches of Mine-IA.
4. ii) Programmable  Logic Controller (PLC) based automation system  for  Mine-I  Lignite bunker.
5. iii) Implementation of Variable Voltage Variable Frequency (VVVF) drives in Specialized Mining Equipments and Conveyors.
6. iv) All the Specialised  Mining Equipments(SMEs)  and Bucket  Wheel Excavators (BWEs), conveyors, spreaders etc. procured for   new mines viz.,   Mine-II expansion are      incorporated  with  latest  art  of  technology  like  VVVF  PLC    enabling  higher production & productivity.

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