India : Govt successfully auctions 13 coal mines in recent rounds

The Ministry of Coal initiated the 8th and 9th rounds of coal mine auctions on 15 November 2023, and 20 December 2023, respectively. Among the 13 auctioned mines, four are fully explored while nine are partially explored, totalling geological reserves of around 2570 million tonnes (mnt).

Notable bids were observed in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh. Cumulatively, these mines have a production and resource capability (PRC) of 4.2 mnt/ annum, excluding the partially explored ones.

Notably, this round included the auctioning of five coking coal mines, crucial for reducing the nation's reliance on imported coking coal. Since 2020, a total of 104 coal mines have been auctioned, boasting a combined production capacity of 226 mnt/year.

Operationalising these mines promises to significantly bolster domestic coal production, thereby reinforcing the nation's energy security and reducing import dependency.