中文
India has successfully conducted auctions for 13 commercial coal mines in its eighth and ninth rounds, aiming to enhance domestic coal production and decrease dependency on imports, local media reported, citing a statement released by the federal coal ministry.
Out of the 13 mines auctioned, eight are thermal coal mines, while the remaining five are coking coal mines, located in Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand.
Madhya Pradesh accounted for four thermal coal mines and one coking coal mine in the auction, with a combined reserve of 1.30 billion tonnes, while the other states each had one thermal coal mine. Jharkhand had the most coking coal mines auctioned, with accumulated reserves of 756.71 million tonnes.
These successful auctions brought the total number of commercial coal mines auctioned since 2020 to 104, with a total production capacity of 226 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa), as stated in the announcement.
Once operational, these mines will significantly bolster domestic coal production, driving India towards self-sufficiency in coal.
The commercial mining allows coal producers to sell coal to any buyer without price restrictions, while sharing a portion of their revenue with the respective state governments. There are currently no technical or financial eligibility criteria for participating in the coal mine auctions, and no limitations on the sale or utilization of coal.
During April-February in FY2024, coal output from captive and commercial mines increased 27.06% year on year to 126.8 million tonnes. Coal dispatches from these mines during the same period rose 29.14% on the year to 128.88 million tonnes.
India's total coal production during the period amounted to 880.72 million tonnes, a 12.14% rise year on year. The country aims to churn out 1.1 billion tonnes of coal by the end of this fiscal (March 2024).
Although India imported 237.20 million tonnes of coal from April 2023 to February 2024, up 7.77% from a year earlier, the country anticipated the share of imported coal in its overall consumption to drop below 15% by FY2025.
Nevertheless, challenges remain as only a few mines are currently operational due to prolonged clearance procedures and difficulties in securing foreign funding. Additionally, there is still a gap between domestic output and rising demand despite recent increases in Indian coal production, necessitating imports, market participants noted.
India has set a production target of 186.63 million tonnes of coal from its commercial and captive coal mines for FY2025, with a long-term objective of boosting output to 383.56 million tonnes by FY2030.
(Writing by Riley Liang Editing by Harry Huo)
For any questions, please contact us by inquiry@fwenergy.com or +86-351-7219322.
