North Karanpura coal mines

From Global Energy Monitor

The North Karanpura coal mines are a network of underground and opencast coal mines, operated by Central Coalfields Limited, a subsidiary of Coal India, producing more than 20 million-tonnes-per-annum, on the North Karanpura coalfield in Jharkhand state, India.[1]

The operating mines include: Churi, Dakra Bukbuka, K. D. H., Rohini Karkatta, Rohini, and Purnadih.[2]

Location

The map below shows the location of the North Karanpura coalfield, which is spread across the districts of Hazaribagh, Ranchi, Chatra, and Latehar, in the Karanpura Valley of Jharkhand state. The field stretches 64 km east-to-west and 32 km north-to-south, and covers 1,230 square kilometers.

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Background on Mine

The rights to the North Karanpura coalfield are owned by Central Coalfields Limited (a subsidiary of Coal India).[3]

The coalfield extends much further north and east of the existing mines, extending throughout and beyond the Karanpura Valley. Dozens of mines are planned in this area, as well as National Thermal Power Corporation's North Karanpura power station, currently under construction.

The area is very densely populated: the North Karanpura coalfield lies beneath a total of 203 villages. Two of the proposed mine projects alone, Magadh and Amrapali, would by CCL's studies potentially impact over 34,000 people. A local government official in Tandwa Development Block has stated that these projects together would "turn the whole of Tandwa Block into a complete wasteland. The 'Development' Block is destroyed."[4][5]

The Rohini Karkatta OCP is a proposed project currently seeking financial appraisal, as of November 2019.[6] Rohini has a current capacity of 3.3 and in 2018 sought expansion to 5 mtpa.[7] But in response to a right of information request in 2021, the mine is not listed by the Government of India as an active new mine project. It is presumed shelved.[8]

Activism

The Save Karanpura Campaign is trying to prevent the expansion of coal mining in the Karanpura Valley.[4]

Mine Details

  • Sponsor: Central Coalfields Limited
  • Parent company: Coal India
  • Location: Districts of Hazaribagh, Ranchi, Chatra, and Latehar, Jharkhand state, India
  • Coordinates: 23.685074, 84.989074 (exact)
  • Status: operating/proposed
  • Capacity: Churi (0.84 MTPA), Dakra Bukbuka, K. D. H. (4.5 MTPA), Rohini Karkatta (Proposed 10 MTPA), Rohini (5 MTPA), and Purnadih (3 MTPA)[2][1]
  • Resources: 18,279 MT (9,499 MT proven, 6,915 MT indicated, 1,865 MT inferred);
  • Mineable Reserves: 164.93 MT with 7.61 MT from Churi 7.5 MT, K. D. H. 14.51 MT, and Purnadih 57.50 MT.

7.61 (Proven and Probable, 2018) from Rohini [9]

  • Mine Depth: 65 m
  • In service:
  • Permits:
  • Coal type:
  • Mining method: Both surface and underground
  • Source of financing:

Articles and resources

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Central Coalfields Limited, Management of Land Resources, accessed March 23, 2020
  2. 2.0 2.1 Central Coalfields Limited, E-Tender Notice, November 29, 2019
  3. Coal Directory of India 2012-13, Ministry of Coal, 2014, p. 2.8.
  4. 4.0 4.1 The North Karanpura Coalfields, Save Karanpura Campaign website, accessed May 2015.
  5. 'North Karanpura coal block mining will hit wildlife in 4 districts', Times of India, 23 Aug. 2013.
  6. Tender Details, accessed November 2020
  7. Environmental Clearance, accessed November 2020
  8. Government of India, Ministry of Coal, Question No. 35 - "Opening of new Coal Mines", February 3, 2021
  9. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Government of India, "Prefeasibility Report of ROHINI OCP", Ministry website, Accessed May 2021

Related GEM.wiki articles

External resources