The state-owned mining company Coal India Limited (CIL) is expanding exploration activities, including 2D and 3D seismic surveys, so that more coal blocks can be put up for auction.
The state-owned mining company Coal India Limited (CIL) is expanding exploration activities, including 2D and 3D seismic surveys, so that more coal blocks can be put up for auction.
The Central Mines Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL), the technical arm of CIL, has promised to introduce 2D and 3D seismic surveys for faster coal and lignite exploration and to cover larger areas in a shorter time.
CMPDIL has purchased vibroseis equipment to ascertain the possibility of deposits up to about 800 m below the surface, with Indian coal typically found at depths of between 300 m and 600 m.
The CMPDIL will receive an estimated $175 million over the next two years to enable it to expand exploration of new blocks and to offer exploration data for more blocks to be put up for auction.
Coal reserves in India were estimated at 156 billion tonnes in 2019. Six-billion tonnes of reserves were added in December 2019 and another 10 billion tonnes are expected to be added by the end of 2019/20.
A total of 188 project reports had also been completed by December 2019 including 12 geological reports.
