Umaria Coalfield

Umaria Coalfield

Location
Umaria Coalfield Location in Madhya Pradesh
State	Madhya Pradesh
Country	India
Coordinates	23°25′N 81°38′E / 23.417°N 81.633°ECoordinates: 23°25′N 81°38′E / 23.417°N 81.633°E
Owner
Company	South Eastern Coalfields Limited
Website	http://secl.gov.in/
Year of acquisition	1985

Umaria Coalfield is located in Umaria district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh in the valley of the Umrer River, a tributary of the Son River.

History

In 1886, W.W. Hunter wrote, “Extensive coalfields have recently been discovered at Umaria, within the native state of Rewa…”^[1]

Umaria Coalfield, which was owned by Rewa Coalfields Limited, was nationalized in 1973.^[2]

The coalfield

Umaria Coalfield is a part of Central India Coalfields. The latter is spread over the districts of Surguja, Koriya (both in Chhattisgarh), Shahdol and Umaria (both in Madhya Pradesh). There are fourteen coalfields in this group, namely Korar, Umaria, Johilla, Sohagpur, Sonhat, Jhilimili, Chirimiri, Sendurgarh, Koreagarh, Damhamunda, Panchbahini, Hasdeo-Arand, Lakhanpur and Bishrampur. The group covers an area of about 5,345 square kilometres (2,064 sq mi) with estimated reserves of 15,613.98 million tonnes. The deposits are at a depth of 0-1200 meters. Therefore, extraction is mainly amenable to underground mining except a few blocks in eastern part of these coalfields which have opencast potential.^[3]

In Umaria Coalfield, the Lower Gondwana rocks are well developed. The coalfield has an estimated reserve of 181.29 million tonnes, spread across six coal seams. The coals are relatively high in moisture (7-10%) and high in ash (18.6-29.4%). South Eastern Coalfields Limited operates eight mines.^[4][5][6]

According to Geological Survey of India reserves of non-coking coal up to a depth of 300 m in Umaria Coalfield was 181.29 million tonnes. ^[7] Kanchan Open Cast Mine is being expanded from 0.32 million tonnes per annum to 0.65 million tonnes per annum, with a peak capacity of 0.75 million tonnes per annum. The entire overburden would be backfilled. There is 4 km metalled road connecting the mine to Vindhya Mine and onwards to Nowrozabad Railway siding. ^[8]

Transport

The 37 miles (60 km) Katni Umaria Railways section was opened to traffic in 1886.^[9]The line from Katni, 171 miles (275 km) from Allahabad on the Jabalpur line, to Umaria, then in Rewa State, was accorded priority in construction, in order to connect Umaria Coalfield to the railway system.^[10] The 161 miles (259 km) Bilaspur-Umaria branch line was opened in 1891, linking the entire area to the GIPR system at Katni.^[11]

References

1. W.W. Hunter, The Indian Empire: Its People, History and Products, first published 1886, reprint 2005, Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, ISBN 81-206-1581-6
2. "Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973, Schedule I". Bare Facts. Retrieved 2011-09-08.
3. "Central India Coalfields". Coalfields. South Eastern Coalfields Ltd. Retrieved 2011-09-03.
4. "Geological and geographical distribution of Coalfields of India". geologydata.info. Retrieved 2011-09-03.
5. "Inventory of Geological Resource of Indian Coal" (PDF). CMPDI. Retrieved 2011-09-03.
6. "Umaria". Umaria district administration. Retrieved 2011-09-03.
7. "Coal Resources of India (As on 1.1.2004)" (PDF). Coal Wing, Geological Survey of India, Kolkata. Retrieved 2011-09-08.
8. "South Eastern Coalfields to expand Kanchan OCP". Mining Industry. Retrieved 2011-09-03.
9. "Indian Railway History Time line". irse. Retrieved 2011-09-03.
10. "Bengal Nagpur Railway". Retrieved 2011-09-08.
11. "Nagpur Division" (PDF). Indian Railways. Retrieved 2011-09-03.