Province of Sindh is endowed with huge, good quality lignite (coal) deposits, suitable for electric power generation and other applications. It constitutes around 98% of total coal deposits of the country. The Pakistan is one of the biggest coal countries, ranks 8th in the World.
The indigenous resources, especially Coal is receiving priority in our policy and strategy as fuel for power generation and industrial applications. The Government of Pakistan and Government of Sindh are making strenuous efforts to development of indigenous coal resources.
Steps to develop coal resources:
SINDH COAL AUTHORITY: The province of Sindh alone comprises adequate coal reserves as a fuel to meet electric power generation requirements of the country on long-term basis ie for centuries.
The Sindh Authority has been established under the Sindh Coal Authority Act, 1994 as an exclusive agency for harnessing of this deposit.
The affairs of the Authority are being managed by the Board headed by the Minister for Mineral Development, Government of Sindh.
The objective of the Sindh Coal Authority is strides towards a self-reliance economy, strategy to encourage and facilitate private investment in coal mining and coal-based projects in the province of Sindh, identify and co-ordinate development and improvement of required infrastructure.
The Sindh Coal Authority believes in involvement of private sector as a main vehicle for development.
TASK FORCE ON THAR COAL: The President of Pakistan taking keen interest in development of Thar coal, constituted a Task Force on Thar coal headed by him as its Chairman.
The objective of the Task Force is to take policy/strategy decisions regarding development of Thar coal (one of the biggest coal deposits in the World, which constitutes around 95% of coal deposits of the country) to ensure smooth implementation of coal mining and coal-fired power projects.
HIGHLIGHTS OF COAL DEPOSITS: The coal deposits of the country are as follows:
The field-wise position is as follows:
LAKHRA COALFIELD:
(a) Lakhra coalfield, spread over 2000 sq. km. is located at a distance of around 193 km. from Karachi. The estimated coal deposit is 1.328 billion tonnes. The shallowest and the deepest coal seams are 30 meters and 137 meters, respectively.
(b) Lakhra is active coal-field, where actual mining is being carried out. The mining is being done through public and private sector, including Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation and Lakhra Coal Development Company.
About 100 mining lease leases for coal have been granted and around 300 mines are in operation in the coalfield, which are producing about 2 million tonnes of coal annually.
The chemical analyses are given below:
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Moisture (AR) 28.9%
Ash (AR) 18.0%
Volatile Matter (AR) 27.9%
Fixed Carbon (AR) 25.2%
Sulphur (AR) 4.7% to
7.0%
Heating Value (Av.) 4,622 to
7,554 Btu./Lb.
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The coal is suitable for electric power generation and as a fuel for process industry viz, cement, sugar, etc.
(c) Lakhra coalfield is connected with Indus Highway at a distance of 30 km. from Hyderabad, Indus River is flowing at a distance of 25 km. from the coalfield and 132 KVA line is also available.
The railway line passes near the coalfield - at a distance of around 10 km. There is sufficient room to increase present production of coal up to 4 million tonnes, which could be synchronised with the demand.
(d) Present consumption of Sindh coal is brick kilns; 3 x 50 MW coal-fired power units of WAPDA at Khanote in district Dadu and also cement industry.
THATTA-SONDA COALFIELD: (a) Sonda Block 1400 sq. km. and Jhimpir-Meeting 422 sq. km., is located at a distance of around 150 km. from Karachi on Karachi-Thatta-Hyderabad National Highway. Estimated coal deposit is 7.273 billion tonnes.
The shallowest coal bed is 37.8 m. and the deepest coal bed is 265.28 m, respectively. The chemical analyses are as under:
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Moisture (AR) 31.23-34.72%
Volatile Matter 27.9%
Fixed Carbon 25.2%
Ash (AR) 7.69-14.7%
Sulphur (AR) 1.38-2.82%
Heating Value
(AR) Btu./Lb. 6,780 - 11,029
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(b) It is in south of Lakhra. This is also one of the best potential coalfield yet explored, but, unexploited. All sort or infrastructure is available, such as road, railway line, water and electricity, etc. The coal is better than Lakhra in quality.
THAR COALFIELD: (a) Thar coalfield is one of the biggest coal-fields in the World, constitutes about 175 billion tones of good quality lignite (coal) sufficient to meet the fuel requirements of the country for centuries.
(b) The Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) discovered huge deposits of coal in 1992 at Thar during the research programme assisted by United States Geological Survey (USGS). The coalfield is spread over 9,000 sq. km. with dimensions of 140 km (north-south) 65 km (east-west). The GSP developed four specific blocks with close space drilling for attracting the national and international investors.
The block-wise deposits are as under:
(c) Chemical Analyses of Thar coalfield are as under:
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Coal Quality Lignite A-B
Moisture (AR) 46.77%
Ash (AR) 6.24%
Volatile Matter (AR) 23.42%
Fixed Carbon (AR) 16.66%
Sulphur (AR) 1.16%
Heating
Value (Av.) 5,774 Btu/1b
O As Received 5780 to 6398
O Dry 10723 to11353
O DAF 11605 to 12613
O MMM Free 6101 to 6841
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(d) The Government of Pakistan and Government of Sindh emphasising on indigenous energy resources and keeping in view to make the coalfield accessible towards development initiatives, sponsored various schemes relating to infrastructure development in the area viz, construction/rehabilitation of roads, water supply lines, town planning and construction of airstrip.
(e)Thar coal is suitable for electric power generation and other applications. It is better in quality as compared to lignite being used for power generation in many countries in the World.
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME: (a) Bankable Feasibility Study of Thar Coal Mining
The study has been awarded to M/s. Rheinbraun Engineering (Consultant) of Germany through international competitive bidding. The scope of the Study is evaluation and determination of mine-ability of Thar coal, including extraction cost and selling price of coal for its use a fuel for power generation.
The data, information, calculations and considerations give already a clear picture that the 1000 M.W. power plant and the mine can be operated in the Thar Desert area without any problem. The study is at completion stage - the report is expected in September this year.
The project would generate direct employment for 2000-3000 persons/families. Taking an average of 5 persons a family, the project would be source of livelihood to 10000-15000 persons.
(b) Exploration and Assessment of Coal Deposits of Northern Lakhra coalfield
The identified Lakhra coalfield comprises of 1309 sq. km. of this, around 500 sq. km., investigated area has been leased to private and public sector. Thus, there is no investigated area available to accommodate proposals/requests of private sector for grant of mining leases.
Cement industry has also started use of indigenous coal on trial basis and some of them have applied for mining leases also. But, the area available for them is quite virgin ie nothing is known about availability and quality, etc, of coal.
Therefore, the Sindh Coal Authority sponsored the scheme for exploration and evaluation of coal deposit of Lakhra Northern coalfield for offering to the private sector to develop coal mines, to meet requirements of local uses of coal, including cement industry.
PC-II has been prepared with an estimated cost of Rs 38.516 million. The study is at the stage of award.
SHENHUA GROUP CORPORATION LIMITED OF CHINA: 2 x 300 MW, indigenous, mine mouth, coal-fired power project at Thar
M/s. Shenhua Group Corporation Limited of China during the visit in June, 2001 for exploring the possibility of Chinese assistance in development of Thar coal. After visit of the Chief Executive of Pakistan to China, the Government of Sindh signed a MOU with M/s. Shenhua Group Corporation Limited of China for establishment of 2 x 300 MW mine mouth coal-fired power stations and development of coal mines to meet fuel requirements of the country.
Subsequently, under a project contract, the Shenhua Group Corporation of China completed "Detailed Coal Geological Investigations" over an area of 50 sq. km. in block-II based on drilling of 120 holes.
The DCGI report (based on data collected during the geological investigation) has been submitted, which is positive. Besides, the Hydro-Geological Survey at Thar coalfield has also been completed by Chinese, who are confident about the underground water resources at Thar coalfield are enough to establish a power plant.
Based on the findings of hydrological survey there are three aquifers. After completion of the study, the construction of power plant and development of mine will be started - expected in January 2005.
BENEFITS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDIGENOUS COAL RESOURCES: Advantages of use of indigenous coal are innumerable. Apart from other, the benefits are as follows:
-- Indigenous fuel for power generation.
-- Reliable and cheap fuel as compared to imported fuel.
-- Generation of massive economic activity in the province in general and backward areas of Thar, Thatta and Dadu, where coal is located, in particular.
-- Direct and indirect employment and business opportunities.
-- Step towards a sustainable power generation programme.
-- Step towards a self-reliant economy.
-- Massive saving in foreign exchange resources otherwise needed for import of fuel.
-- Step towards poverty alleviation.
-- Contain shifting of population from rural to urban areas in search of jobs and business opportunities leading to congestion in cities along with all its associated ills.
STRATEGY: Importance of indigenous fuel in achieving the objective of self-reliance, needs no elucidation - in other words, self-reliance is not possible without development indigenous resources.
Therefore, the above schemes are proposed to be part of the priority strategy, conceived for sustainable economic development of the country.
The development of Coal (lignite) resources will generate massive economic activity in backward areas of the province and help in containing many ills associated with concentration of population in urban centers in search of business and job opportunities.
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Province-wise
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(Billion tonnes)
a) Punjab 0.257
b) Balochistan 0.196
c) NWFP 0.082
d) Sindh 184.123
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Sindh (coalfield-wise)
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(Billion tonnes)
a) Lakhra, district Dadu 1.328
b) Sonda, district Thatta 7.112
c) Metting-Jhimpir, district Thatta 0.161
d) Badin 0.016
e) Thar 175.506
Total 184.123
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BLOCK No SQ. KM. DRILL HOLES (NO.) BILLION TONNES
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BLOCK-I 122.0 41 3.566
BLOCK-II 55.0 43 1.584
BLOCK-III 99.5 41 2.006
BLOCK-IV 80.0 42 2.559
TOTAL: 356.5 167 9.715
Rest of 8,551.5 50 165,791
coalfield
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DEPTH OF COAL MINIMUM MAXIMUM
SEAMS (METERS)
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BLOCK-I 137.04 123.80
BLOCK-II 114.00 117.30
BLOCK-III 178.72 164.70
BLOCK-IV 203.02 165.50
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(The author is Dg, Sindh Coal Authority)