Coal India unit ceases operations at major mine

Mahanadi Coalfields (MCL), a subsidiary of Coal India, has ceased operations at one of its major mines at Odisha, India, over a delay in getting approval for additional coal extraction.

Environmental approval

MCL currently has environmental approval to extract 15 million tpa from its open cast mine at Lakhanpur in the district of Jharsuguda, which has a coal production capacity of 18.75 million tpa.

According to a senior official, the company did not yet have permission to extract additional coal, and as such had no other option but to cease operations at the mine.

Increase coal production

In March 2012, MCL submitted an application for environment clearance to the Ministry of Environment and Forest to increase coal production from 15 million tpa to 18.75 million tpa from the mine. This application has not yet been approved.

Edited from various sources by Katie Woodward

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/mining/18032014/unit_of_coal_india_ceases_mining_operations_627/