INDUSTRY

Domestic raw coking coal output likely to touch 140 mt by 2030

The government on Saturday said that the country’s domestic raw coking coal output may touch 140 million tonnes (mt) by 2030 from the present 51.7 mt.

Coking coal is an essential raw material for the production of iron and steel. 

“With transformative measures taken by Ministry of Coal under Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative of the prime minister, domestic raw coking coal production is likely to reach 140 mt by 2030,” the Coal Ministry said in a statement. 

The Centre has auctioned 10 coking coal blocks to the private sector with a peak-rated capacity (PRC) of 22.5 mt during the last two years to further increase output of raw coking coal. Most of these blocks are expected to start production by 2025. 

The ministry had also identified four coking coal blocks, and the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI) would also finalise geological reserves (GR) for 4 to 6 new coking coal blocks in the next two months, the statement said. 

These blocks may be offered in subsequent rounds of sale for the private sector to further step up domestic raw coking coal supply in the country. 

Coal India (CIL), which accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output, has planned to increase raw coking coal production from existing mines up to 26 mt and identified nine new mines with a PRC of about 20 mt by FY25. 

CIL has also offered six discontinued coking coal mines, out of the total 20 such mines, on an innovative model of revenue sharing to the private sector with an expected PRC of about 2 mt, according to the statement. 

The country produced 51.7 mt of raw coking coal during 2021-22, which is 15 per cent more compared to 44.8 mt during FY21. 

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