Sor-Range Coal Mine
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Sor-Range Coal Mine is an operating coal mine in Sor-Range Collieries Bijli Road, Quetta, Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Mine Name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| Sor-Range Coal Mine | Sor-Range Collieries Bijli Road, Quetta, Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan[1][2] | 30.1753837, 67.0025703 (approximate) |
The map below shows the approximate location of the coal mine:
Project Details
Table 2: Project status
| Status | Status Detail | Opening Year | Closing Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating[3] | – | – | – |
Table 3: Operation details
| Capacity (Mtpa) | Production (Mtpa) | Year of Production | Mine Type | Mining Method | Mine Size (km2) | Mine Depth (m) | Workforce Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | 0.048[4] | 2023[4] | Underground[5] | Longwall[1] | 16.74[4] | 494* | 519.0854828* |
Table 4: Coal resources and destination
| Total Reserves (Mt) | Year of Total Reserves Recorded | Total Resources (Mt) | Coalfield | Coal Type | Coal Grade | Primary Consumer/ Destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.95[1] | 2023[1] | – | Degari-Sor-Range[1] | Bituminous[1] | Thermal[6] | – |
Table 5: Ownership and parent company
| Owner | Parent Company | Headquarters |
|---|---|---|
| Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) [100.0%][1] | – | Pakistan |
Table 6: Historical production (unit: million tonnes per annum)
| ROM or Saleable | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | – | – | 0.0*[7] | – | – | 0.05*[8] | 0.05*[8] | – | – |
Note: The above sections were automatically generated and are based on data from the Global Coal Mine Tracker August 2026 release.
Ownership Tree
This ownership tree is part of the Global Energy Ownership Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor.
Background
The Sor-Range Coal Mine is an underground coal mine operated by the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC), located approximately 12 to 16 kilometers east of Quetta, Balochistan Province, Pakistan.[9][10] The mine forms the northern portion of the Degari–Sor-Range coalfield, which covers an area of about 50 square kilometers within a doubly plunging syncline, with coal seams dipping between 45 and 50 degrees.[11] PMDC's coal seam observations for the area report a thickness varying between 4 and 22 feet, with mining operations as of 2024 excavating up to 7 feet.[12]
Coal is extracted using the long-wall mining method from a leased area of 1,674 acres, and the seam produces sub-bituminous-A to high-volatile-B bituminous coal with a calorific value of approximately 4,930 to 6,100 kcal.[9] Combined reserves for the Sor-Range and Degari fields are estimated at 50 million tonnes, with coal quality classified as sub-bituminous and a calorific value range of 11,245 to 13,900 Btu/lb.[11] PMDC reported production of 47,663 tonnes and sales of 44,131 tonnes of coal from the Sor-Range mine during the 2022–23 fiscal year.[9] The mine is classified in international coal industry profiles as an operating underground mine within the Degari–Sor-Range coalfield.[13]
In September 2024, PMDC CEO/Managing Director Engr. Asad Ahmad inaugurated two new coal mines at the Sor-Range colliery site, named the Shabbar Shaheed Mines in memory of Mirza Shabbar Ali, which PMDC described as its first new coal-mining project since the corporation's founding.[12] PMDC outlined a phased expansion strategy for the site: the first phase involved developing two new mines in the south-eastern part of the field, with operations already underway, while a planned second phase would develop two additional mines in the north-west following successful extraction from the south-east mines.[12]
On July 30, 2026, an explosion attributed to a buildup of methane gas occurred at a coal mine in the Sor-Range area outside Quetta, killing 34 miners. Officials and labour organizations, including the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation, noted that fatal accidents are common in Balochistan's coal mining sector, and attributed the risk in part to inadequate ventilation, gas monitoring, and other safety measures at mines in the region.[14]
Articles and Resources
Additional data
To access additional data, including an interactive map of world coal mines, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Coal Mine Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 http://www.pmdc.gov.pk/?p=SorRangeCollieries.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://www.pmdc.gov.pk/mines/#sor-range.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ (PDF) https://www.pmdc.gov.pk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/PMDCs-News-Letter-Final-1.pdf.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 https://pmdc.gov.pk/mines/#coal.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ (PDF) https://www.globalmethane.org/documents/toolsres_coal_overview_ch25.pdf.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ (PDF) https://www.nepra.org.pk/Policies/Coal%20Potential%20in%20Pakistan.pdf.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ (PDF) https://pubs.usgs.gov/myb/vol3/2019/myb3-2019-pakistan.pdf.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 8.0 8.1 https://www.pmdc.gov.pk/mines/#coal.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Mines". Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Sor-Range Collieries". Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Coal Potential in Pakistan" (PDF). Private Power & Infrastructure Board, hosted by National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). Retrieved 2026-08-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Chapter 25: Pakistan" (PDF). Global Methane Initiative. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Dozens of miners killed in coal mine explosion in Pakistan". DW. Retrieved 2026-08-05.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
