Coal reserves in the country estimated at 253.30 bn tonnes

New Delhi, Nov 12 (UNI) The total coal reserves in India as evaluated by the Geological Survey of India (GSI), Mining Exploration Corporation Limited (MEC) and CMPDI are estimated at around 253.30 billion tonnes.

According to Coal Ministry sources, the evaluation was based on the basis of exploration carried out at a depth of 1200 metres by GSI, MECL and CMPDI as on January 1, this year.

The report says out of the total coal reserves around 95,866 million tonnes (MT) was the proved reserves, while 1,19,769 MT is the indicated coal reserves in the country and the inferred reserves were estimated at around 37,666 MT.

The report pointed out coal reserves were detected at 13 states.

Jharkhand is the largest coal reserves state with an estimate coal reserves of 73,898 MT, followed by Orissa with 61,999 MT, Chhattisgarh 41,442 MT and West Bengal 27,815 MT.

The coal resources in the country were available in the sedimentary rocks of older Gondwana Formations of peninsular India and younger Tertiary formations of north-eastern/northern hilly region.

The total coal reserves in the Gondwana formation was estimated at around 2,52,359 MT and in the Tertiary segment placed at around 942 MT.

The total coking coal reserves in the country was estimated at around 32,096 MT and that of non-coking coal at around 2,21,205 MT, the report added.

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