Rajasthan is second to Tamil Nadu in the country for having the sizeable lignite reserves. Tamil Nadu's reserves are put at around 21,000 million tonnes. In other states such as Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka etc there are some deposits of lignite, but not in sizeable quantities.

More than 20 years ago lignite deposits were first spotted in Rajasthan in the Bikaner region and the government thought in terms of putting up a power plant at Palana using it as a fuel. The site was later shifted to Barsingsar but nothing of the sort has yet been done. Excessive delays have occured in taking decisions even after the Calcutta-based Hindustan Development Corporation Ltd come forward with a concrete offer to put up a power plantthere.

Before HDC Ltd stepped in, the plant was offered to NLC Ltd, a public undertaking, but it withdrew after doing a lot of spade work on grounds which were not convincing.

The two other sizeable deposits of lignite at Kapurdi and Jalipa in the Barmer district have also been reserved for power generation but the government has not taken the needed measures to exploit the same.Studies have shown that lignite could replace coal in the industrial use and the savings could be substantial. The mineral is currently being sold ex-pit at Rs 610 per tonne by RSMDC (Rajasthan State Mineral Development Corporation Ltd). And the demand is ever-growing, says officials of RSMDC.About four years ago the government had given a small lignite deposit at Giral in the Jaisalmer district to RSMDC for commercial exploitation purposes. And in this period RSMDC has acquired the techniques to dig out the mineral quite successfully. ``We are making profits in the lignite mining'' officials point out.

The Giral deposit coversan area of around 26 sq km and the reserves are put at around 100 million tonnes. The mineable reserves are low at around 20 million tonnes. The mining has to be done at a depth ranging from 50 metres to 75 metres and the mineral is found in the ratio of 1.:15.

RSMDC has so far produced about five lakh tonnes of lignite and the target for this year is put at 2.50 lakh tonnes. The corporation has also signed a MoU with DLF Power for supply of lignite to its proposed 100 mw power plant.The quality of Rajasthan lignite is considered poorer compared to that of Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. The fixed carbon in the mineral is put at 20 per cent with the ash content being 18 per cent. The moisture content is also 40 per cent and its heating value is 2,740 KCal per kg. The sulphur content of five per cent is much on the higher side.

For RSMDC the cost of mining lignite is on the higher side due largely to the thin seam. On a tonne of lignite RSMDC is spending around Rs 350 as against about Rs 250 or so in TamilNadu.

No doubt price-wise RSMDC is in no position to compete with Tamil Nadu or Gujarat. Its localised consumption is the only redeeming feature as the mineral could not be transported over large distances. During the summer season it has to be used within 10 days after exploitation. It otherwise catches fire easily.

The use of lignite in the cement industry is a possibility if the sulphur content is somehow reduce. In this connection studies are being made by the Centre Fuel Research Institute of Dhanbad. Officials point out that the possibility of use of lignite in the cement could not be ruled out.Due to the poor quality of lignite its large-scale use in the power generation could pose some problem, authorities say. Instances have to come to lignite of the boilers getting chocked. In this connnection it is pointed out that the use could be recommended if lignite is mixed with some dolomite powder.

A strong case is being made out by RSMDC for allotment of more lignite mines to it for commercial use.It is strange that the government has taken lot of time to take a decision in the matter. Deposits given to RSMML (Rajasthan State Mines and Minerals Ltd) have not yet been exploited for reasons not known.

The government should also have a lignite policy on the pattern of marble or granite policies so that its commercial use could be stepped up. But there is no doubt that things move at a slow pace in Rajasthan with the bureaucracy having failed to come out with a clear-cut policy. The commercial use of the huge deposits could result in the state's revenues going up.