NMDC firms up Bengal coal mining plan

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Hyderabad, Nov 18 : In a public-public partnership, National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) is joining hands with West Bengal Mineral Development & Trading Corporation Limited (WBMDTC) to explore, develop and mine the Deocha-Pachami Coal Block in Birbhum District of West Bengal.

Located in Birbhum district of West Bengal, the block was regionally explored by Geological Survey of India, with an estimated reserve of two billion tonnes of thermal coal over an area of 9.7sq Km. This block has four coal seam zones with seam thickness between 8.9 m to 79.8 m along with a super thick seam zone of thickness between 90.8m and 156.3m.

This MoU paves way for the geological exploration of the deposit to establish the technical and commercial viability of the project. Thereafter, a joint venture company between NMDC and WBMDTC will be incorporated to carry the project forward, a release said.

Further, NMDC is on a fast track expansion and diversification mode with plans to acquire more mining leases in iron ore, coal, diamond etc and setting up pelletization plants in Bailadila and Donimalai and also an integrated steel plant in Chhattisgarh, for which foundation stone was already laid.

NMDC has established itself as India’s single-largest iron ore producer. Its iron ore mines are located in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh and in Bellary-Hospet range of Karnataka.