Coal India arm inks Rs 7,040-crore pact to boost production

Coal India arm SECL on Friday said it had entered into a Rs 7,040-crore pact with TMC Mineral Resources for undertaking large-scale coal production using paste filling technology.

Paste filling is a modern underground mining method that eliminates the need to acquire surface land. After coal extraction, the mined-out voids are filled with a specially prepared paste made from fly ash, crushed overburden from opencast mines, cement, water and binding chemicals. This process prevents land subsidence and ensures the structural stability of the mine.

“South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) is set to become the first coal PSU in India to adopt paste fill technology for coal mining...To implement this innovative underground mining technology, SECL has signed a Rs 7,040-crore agreement with TMC Mineral Resources Pvt Ltd,” the public sector unit said in a statement.

Under this agreement, large-scale coal production will be undertaken using paste filling technology in the Singhali underground coal mine.