Conference on Underground Coal Mining

India ranks 5th in coal reserves globally and is the second-largest coal producing country in the world after China with a production of 761 million metric tons. While the coal production from underground mining in countries like China, USA and Australia are about 95%, 33% and 20% respectively, the Indian coal mining industry has witnessed a decline in underground coal production over the years with more emphasis on opencast mining. 

India has huge untapped potential for underground (UG) mining with extractable reserves up to a depth of 800m. With the growing demand of coal along with the likely exhaustion of shallow depth coal reserves, problems faced regarding surface land acquisition and growing awareness towards sustainable development, has called for a quantum jump in coal production from underground mines in the country. Therefore, to attain high production levels and to fulfil the domestic demand; introduction of efficient mineral production technologies along with upskilling of workforce for underground mining is the need of the hour.

To make underground mining successful in the country, we must have suitable, productive, and safe production methods, increased machine utilisation, deployment of highest health and safety standards, state of the art R&D facilities and upskilling initiatives along with effective policy push with better incentive schemes from the government.

In view of the major relevance of the issues to be discussed, ASSOCHAM is organising a Conference on ‘Underground Coal Mining’ on 20th October 2022 at Hotel Le- Meridien in New Delhi.