National Seminar on “Washing of Coal – Opportunities & Challenges” Explores Path to Reduce Coal Imports
TFP Bureau New Delhi; July 31, 2023: The Indian National Committee World Mining Congress, in association with the Ministry of Coal, recently organized a national seminar on “Washing of Coal – Opportunities & Challenges.” The event brought together experts, researchers, and stakeholders from the industry to discuss the future of coal beneficiation in India. With a focus on knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovation, the seminar aimed to shape the future of the coal sector.
In his keynote address, Shri Amrit Lal Meena, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, underscored the pressing need to enhance the capacity of coal washeries for both coking and non-coking coal. By doing so, India can substantially reduce its dependence on coal imports and advance domestic coal beneficiation. Secretary Meena emphasized the importance of adopting the latest technologies and the establishment of new mines to enhance coal production efficiency. He also mentioned ongoing railway projects to address transportation constraints and infrastructure development to support the coal industry’s growth.
Shri M Nagaraju, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, highlighted the significance of technical optimization in coal washing. Through the application of cutting-edge techniques and methodologies, the coal sector can maximize the yield of high-quality coal, contributing to India’s energy security and sustainability goals.
During the seminar, Shri PM Prasad, Chairman of Coal India Limited (CIL), emphasized the pivotal role of coal washeries in improving the quality of coking and non-coking coal. He stressed the importance of ensuring a seamless supply of high-quality coal for various sectors, acknowledging the increasing demand for cleaner and more efficient coal. To meet the nation’s coal requirements while maintaining stringent quality standards, he envisioned the establishment of additional washeries in the coming years.
Dr. B Veera Reddy, Director (T) CIL & CMD CCL, Ministry of Coal, outlined the seminar’s objective to enhance coal cleanliness and efficiency. He unveiled the Ministry’s vision to begin coal export to neighboring countries, positioning India as a significant coal supplier in the region from the next year.
Throughout the technical sessions, experts presented crucial insights and findings. Shri H L Sapru, CEO of MDCWL Limited, highlighted the potential of coal washing to save up to 1 rupee per KWhr in the landing cost of coal for power plants. Currently, India operates 20 washeries with a total capacity of 113.6 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), demonstrating the nation’s commitment to cleaner and more efficient coal production.
Shri Manish Mishra, Chief Corporate Affairs at Tata Steel, provided detailed information on coking coal for the domestic steel industry. He emphasized the significance of coal washing in producing high-quality coking coal for steelmaking, considering the washability characteristics of Indian coal.
Dr. U S Chattopadhyay from CIMFR Dhanbad addressed challenges in the beneficiation of low volatile coking coal (LVC) in India. He proposed strategic plans to halt the supply of LVC to power plants, constructing new washeries to replace conventional ones, and installing deshaling plants for LVC coal with ash content exceeding 40 per cent.
Shri Kapil Dhagat, EVP of JPL, emphasized the importance of coal beneficiation in the Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) making process, steelmaking, and gasification. He stressed the need for quality consciousness during coal mining and recommended establishing new washeries near mines, intensifying research and development efforts, modernizing existing washeries, and supplying only washed coal to various sectors.
Shri Gautam Senapati discussed the washing of high-grade non-coking coal for steelmaking in the blast furnace route. He sought support from the Ministry of Coal (MoC) and Coal India Limited (CIL) for conducting more sampling of 2-3 types of coal at the pilot level to improve coal quality in this sector.
A panel discussion, chaired by Shri M Nagaraju, Additional Secretary, witnessed the participation of industry leaders and representatives, highlighting the holistic approach towards coal washing to reduce coal imports and achieve self-reliance in the coal sector. This, in turn, will contribute to the nation’s economic growth and environmental sustainability.
The successful seminar, attended by over 130 delegates from 20 companies, reinforced India’s commitment to producing cleaner and higher-quality coal while embracing technological advancements in the sector. By investing in research, improving technical optimization, and addressing transportation challenges, India aims to unlock the full potential of coal washing and strengthen its position as a significant player in the global coal industry.
