THAR COAL MINING

Dr. Markos Leontidis

INTERNATIONAL COAL CONFERENCE, KARACHI Oct 22, 2011

Sindh Coal Fields

Thar Geology • Geology of Thar is very simple with a general strata dip of ~2° (Horizontal) • Ran of Kutch fault is the only nearby bigger fault to the Area

Thar Lignite deposit the largest in the World

Thar Coal Potential •Thar Coal Field has a huge Coal Potential •Exploration activities have been carried out in 11 Blocks•More than 600 Exploratory Drillholes from 1995

Thar GeologyOverburden :

– Thickness : 130 m to 150 m– Composition : Sand, Siltstone & Clayey Siltstone

Coal :– Number of main Coal Seams : 3– Main Minable Coal Seam : Approx. 70% of Total coal thickness– Cumulative Coal Seam thickness : 30m - 35m

Slope Stability :– Safety Factor : 1.3

Hydrogeology :– Number of Aquifers : 3– Aquifers are separated by Aquitard of Claystone– The recharge from De-watering is not unlimited and can be controlled– Water quality : High TDS (5000 - 10000 ppm)

Thar Coal Quality

• Lignite quality for Thar Coal is suitable for Power generation

Thar Sulphur Content !

Mining Options for Thar Coal Field

1. Open Pit Coal Mining

2. Underground Coal Mining

• Thar Strata (Overburden) is composed soft deposits. No hard material ,no explosives necessary

• Open Pit Coal Mining is the best option for Thar Lignite

• Shovel & Truck as Main Mining Equipments have been proposed.

• Bucket Wheel Excavators may be an option for future enhanced production

Typical Mine Planning for Thar

• Key parameters

‐ Total number of Coal Seam 3

‐ Main Minable Coal Seam Coal Seam 2-7

‐ Mining Technology Shovel & Truck

‐ Number of benches 15

‐ Bench height 13 m

‐ Bench Width 20 m

‐ Mine Depth 195 m

Typical Mine Plan with Outside Dump Variant

Outside Dump

Mine advancement

A

A’

Open pit advancement 10

Mine Cross-Section

‐ Thar can be compared to many operating Open Pit Mines of the World

‐ Stripping Ratio and Heating Value of Thar Block II is feasible for successful Mine Operation (e.g. Hambach Mine- Germany, producing ~40 Mt/a lignite successfully )

Thar & other Mines in World

Deposit Mining Ratio (m³ : t) Heating Value (MJ/kg)

Thar 6.61 : 1 11.6 (5000 Btu/lb)

Kosovo 1 : 1 7.8 (3350 Btu/lb)

Rhenish Area 4.9 : 1 8.9 (3830 Btu/lb)

Hambach 6.3 : 1 10.5 (4510 Btu/lb)

Hungary 9 : 1 7.1 (3050 Btu/lb)

Thar Open Pit Mine vs. Europe Mines

Hambach-Inden-Garzweiler-Ptolemais (Large Scale Mines > 20 Mt/a ), Thar ?

Why Thar ?

Why Thar Coal should be mined

1.Large deposit can provide fuel for power generation 5000 MW at least

2.High and constant lignite quality; one of the best lignite in the world

3.Domestic fuel. Independence from imports

4.Creation of 4000 direct jobs and 15000 indirect jobs only for phase I (1200 MW power generation at least for 50 years)

5.Competitive cost through other fuels like imported hard coal

6.Fossil fuels will continue their dominance accounting for 65% of all the electricity generated in the world, with coal dominating at 44%

7.Pakistan could meet the above mentioned world target having Thar as the largest lignite deposit

Case Study Block II for power generation

Pakistan Power Generation Fuel Mix with Thar

Aquifer Situation

Dune Sand Aquifer

Sub-Recent Aquifer

Coal seam floor Aquifer

50m

120 m

180m

ShovelMine (-115m AMSL)

Conveyor Belt

WTS

ShovelMine (-115m AMSL)

Outside Dump (+180 m AMSL)

Inside Dump

Selected Equipment Variants - Overburden

S/T Variant ( Variant 1)

IC- Spreader Variant (Variant 2)

Spreader

AMSL- Above Mean Sea Level

ShovelMine (-115m AMSL)

Selected Equipment Variants- Lignite

Crusher

Conveyor Belt

Stockyard (+80 AMSL)

LIGNITE MINING AND USE IN GREECELIGNITE MINING AND USE IN GREECE

Lignite Industry in Greece (PPC. SA)Lignite Industry in Greece (PPC. SA)

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

GW

h

lignite N.Greece lignite S.Greece oil hydro gas

 

• The quality of Greek lignite varies highly both within and across mines• Heating value ranges from 4390 to 9610 MJ/ton

Lignite Industry in GreeceLignite Industry in Greece

22

Lignite Industry in GreeceLignite Industry in Greece

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

60.00

70.00

80.00

Lignite Production in Public Power Corporation mines 1958 – 2005 (Million tons)

23

Lignite Industry in GreeceLignite Industry in Greece

0,00

50,00

100,00

150,00

200,00

250,00

300,00

350,00

400,00

Total masses excavated in Public Power Corporation Mines 1958 – 2005 (Million Cu. meter)

 

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