Singareni explores newly identified coal reserves in Ramagundam region
SCCL has discovered an estimated 30 million tonnes of coal in the Ramagundam region, near Godavarikhani. With older mines nearing depletion, SCCL has intensified exploration and is evaluating ways to link new deposits with existing infrastructure.
Peddapalli: The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has identified new coal deposits in the Ramagundam region.
The Exploration Department, which has been carrying out surveys in different parts of the region, discovered reserves on the outskirts of Godavarikhani town.
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Preliminary studies indicate about 30 million tonnes of coal at a depth of 250 metres near the Sammakka-Sarakka jatara site on the banks of the Godavari. The deposits were traced in two layers measuring 5.5 metres and 3 metres in thickness.
Singareni officials have begun assessing excavation options, including a tunnel from the GDK-I incline mine. There is also the possibility of extracting coal through high-wall mining technology.
With several existing mines nearing exhaustion, the company has intensified exploration in the outskirts of Godavarikhani, GDK-5 opencast mine, OCP-2, and near Pochamma temple at the Adriyala longwall project. Officials are examining the feasibility of linking the new deposits with existing mines to facilitate extraction.
Coal reserves were first discovered in the region in 1959, near Jangaon of Ramagundam mandal. SCCL identified 24 million tonnes at GDK-I and began mining in 1961. To date, about 21 million tonnes have been extracted, with three million tonnes still remaining, expected to last another 12 years.
Currently, coal production is underway in both underground and opencast mines at RG-1, RG-2, RG-3 and the Adriyala longwall project, with the highest output coming from four opencast mines in the Ramagundam region.
