Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, would invest about Rs 500 crore for setting up seven new washeries. The washeries to be set up on the build, operate and maintain basis are expected to be operational by the end of 2012.
“The proposed seven washeries will have a capacity of washing 18.6 million tonnes (mt) of coal per annum out of which 13.6 million tonne will be coking coal while the remaining would be non-coking coal.
“We have already invited tenders for one of the washeries. The tendering process for the remaining six washeries is underway and it is expected to be completed by the end of this fiscal”, TK Lahiry, chairman and managing director told Business Standard.
The washeries would help in better yield of coking as well as non-coking coal. The washeries would also help BCCL to scale up its production from the existing 26 mt per annum to about 35 mt per annum by 2012.
Apart from setting up new washeries, BCCL is also in the process of renovating its existing seven washeries. The board of directors of BCCL has already approved the proposal to revive these washeries, entailing an investment of around Rs 54 crore.
The process of renovation of these washeries is scheduled to be completed within a year. These washeries have a capacity of washing 1.5-2 million tonnes of coal per annum.
Besides the washeries, BCCL has drawn up a plan to develop three underground mining projects, with a combined capacity of three million tonnes per annum on a turnkey basis. These projects have got the in principle approval from the board of directors of BCCL.
BCCL plans to rope in global mining firms with proven expertise in underground mining to develop and operate the mines. The selected firms will employ state-of-the-art technology to develop these mines.
“BCCL would soon invite global tenders for developing these three underground mines. At present, the bid document for development of these underground mining projects is being prepared by Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI), a fully owned subsidiary of CIL”, said Lahiry.
Meanwhile, BCCL has issue the letter of intent to a Chinese firm for developing the Moonidih-16 underground mines, a project being taken up at a cost of Rs 400 crore. The Chinese firm expects to start operations on these mines within a period of 15 months.
The Chinese firm has been asked to achieve a production of 3.5 million tonnes of coal from these mines within five years failing which a penalty would be imposed on the firm.
