Coal India Limited (CIL) plans to deploy green mining technologies in its mines to reduce the adverse environmental impact and reduce emissions. CIL is also planning to expand its underground (UG) production four-fold to 100 million tonnes (mt) by 2030 from 25.6 mt in FY22. UG coal output is environmentally clean, less invasive on land degradation, and society friendly. Around 70% of the country’s coal reserves are facilitative for UG coal mining. The company aims to make UG production sizably supplement the open cast (OC) output. Currently, mineable coal reserves at existing OC will slowly reduce. CIL will introduce 50 continuous miners by FY25 with a peak production potential of 25 million tonnes per annum (mtpa). The company will deploy 21 such machines in Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) and South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), producing nine mtpa. The two powered support long wall (PSLW) machines operating in ECL and Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) produced 1.58 mt in FY22, compared to 1.13 mt in FY21, with a 40% growth. Two more PSLWs of 4.5 mtpa capacity will soon be deployed in BCCL. CIL aims to mine coal through force entry in those OC mines, which have reached their ultimate pit level through various technologies. CIL plans to identify and implement five such mines through punch entry in a phased manner till FY24. Currently, the company will deploy ten high wall machines in its OC mines with a projected production potential of 5 mtpa. One project is already operational in SECL, and three more will be functional in ECL. One high wall machine has a capital expenditure (capex) of Rs 200 crore. Earlier, UG mines were losing incurring production, longer gestation period, shortage of skilled labour, unavailability of indigenous equipment, and high departmental production cost. Now UG production could become viable. Image Source Also read: CIL to avail green mining options, grow underground production