Western Coalfields to expand its Ghorawari Opencast Coal Mine

Details: Category: Madhya Pradesh Coal Mining Projects

Western Coalfields to expand its Ghorawari Opencast Coal Mine in village Ghorwari Khurd, Tehsil Junnardeo in Chindwara district of Madhya Pradesh. The project proposal is to mine coal from patches of old UG workings by opencast operations and expansion in production of coal from 0.110 MTPA to 0.45 million tonnes per annum(MTPA). The total lease area is 1296.011 ha. River Kanhan flows at a distance of 6-7km from the ML. It is not proposed to modify the existing natural drainage. Ultimate working depth is 40m bgl and present working depth is 30m bgl.

Of the total lease area, area for excavation is 750.36 ha, area for OB dumps 217.86 ha, infrastructure is 12.34 ha, roads is 2.65 ha, area for green belt is 497.049 ha, area for township is 140 ha, and area for rationalisation is 172.80 ha. The proposal is to mine coal from patches of old UG workings by opencast operations as given below:

S.N.		Name of OC Patch	Quarry Area (ha)		TOTAL				Quarry Depth (m)			Final Backfilled Area (ha)			Final Void (ha)
					Balance Coal in LTPA		Balance OB in Lakh M3		Present		Max.
A. Present Working Patches
1.		No. 16/17	17		0.80		6.0		45		50	9.50			7.50
2.		No. 6A & 6B	20		5.79		30.07		30		52	18			2
		TOTAL =	37		6.59		36.07					27.50			9.50
B. Proposed upto 2015-16
1.	No. 16 & 17 B. Ph.III			40.50		6.90		61		--	54		40.50	Nil
2.	Ghogra OC Patch			8.0		3.99		13.13		--	53		6	2
3.	Kathideo OC Patch			12.50		5.23		17.81		--	34		10	2.50
	TOTAL =			61		16.12		9194					56.50	4.50
C. Proposed beyond 2015-16 upto 2025-26
1.	Ghorawari Kalan OC Patch			15		4.50		28.45		--	30		10.44	4.56
2.	Dungarai A OC Patch			39		10.60		109.50		--	50		27.13	11.87
3.	Panara OC Patch			12.50		4.25		39.75		--	67		14.61	6.39
4.	Bharat Colliery OC Patch			79.20		24.0		198.0		--	48		55.10	24.10
5.	Chikalam AU OC Patch			21.0		4.89		61.44		--	67		14.61	6.39
6.	South Panara OC Patch			21.25		7.69		81.29		--	62		14.778	6.472
	TOTAL =			187.95		55.84		518.48					130.758	57.192
D. Proposed beyond 2015-16 upto 2025-26
1.	Vegin Patch			168		Individual Schemes will be firmed up after 2021-22
2.	Datla East			120.0
	TOTAL =			424.594
E. Abandoned Patches
1.	No. 16 & 17 OC Patch Phase-I			12.50		Not Applicable							12.50	Nil
2.	No. 6 & 7 OC Patch Ph.I & II			7.50									7.50	Nil
3.	Gh-2 OC Patch			6.0									6.0	Nil
4.	Gh-3 OC Patch			4.50									4.50	Nil
5.	Kolhiya OC Patch			4									4	Nil
6.	DQ-3 OC Patch			5.316									5.316	Nil
	TOTAL =			39.816									39.816	Nil
GRAND TOTAL (A+B+C+D+E)				750.36		646.44					78.55		254.574	71.192

Mineral transportation of 1100 TPD of coal is by road to railway siding covering a distance of 12 km and the balance 270 TPD is by road. Ultimate working depth of the mine is 45m below ground level (bgl).Present working depth is 40m bgl. Water table is in the range of 4.05m-17.20 m bgl during pre-monsoon season and 0.05-8m bgl during post-monsoon. Mining has intersected water table. Peak water requirement is 440 m3/d, which will be met from mine pit water. Presently a total of 11.82 Mm3 of OB has been generated of which 11 Mm3 has been used for backfilling and 0.82 Mm3 has been dumped in ext. OB dump. An estimated 64.64 Mm3 of OB would be generated in the balance life of mine which be backfilled simultaneously.

Of the total quarry area of 750.36 ha of which 552.07 ha would be backfilled and plantation developed thereon as per table below:

S.N.	Area (ha)	Existing	Status upto 2015-16	Status upto 2025-26	Status beyond 2025-26	Status at the end of mine life
1.	Excavation	66.36	98.0	187.95	424.594	750.36
2.	Backfilled	39.816	84	130.758	297.500	552.074