Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDIL) plans to join hands with Mineral Exploration Corp (MECL) to fast-track the process of coal exploration in the country. The tie-up will help CMPDIL to involve MECL in undertaking its drilling works without inviting tenders.

CMPDIL, the exploration subsidiary of the country’s largest coal producer Coal India (CIL), will soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with MECL for conducting coal drilling projects of 1 lakh meters, CMPDIL chairman & managing director A K Singh said. The move would accelerate coal exploration activities by saving time lost in the
tender system.

“After signing the MoU with MECL, CMPDIL will not require to outsource drilling projects to MECL via tendering process,” he said. The company plans to enhance coal exploration capacity from 2 lakh meters per annum to 10 lakh meters per annum by 2011-12.
Read more

SHANGHAI (AFP) — China Shenhua Energy, the country’s largest coal miner, said it had paid 299.9 million Australia dollars (185.7 million US dollars) for a coal exploration licence in Australia.

The 190-square-kilometre project, located in New South Wales state, is estimated to contain more than one billion tonnes of coal, the company said in a statement with the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

If granted a mining licence, Shenhua will have to pay an additional 200 million Australia dollars to the state government, according to the statement.
Read more

State-owned Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Ltd, the only agency to undertake exploration of coal reserves in the country, is outsourcing about 10 lakh meters drilling task to other companies. The move will help to expedite production of coal for power and steel sectors.

A coal ministry official said that the company has been asked to step up its exploration and drilling activities to meet future demands of coal. “The government is taking measures to strengthen CMPDIL. The company will double its in-house drilling capacity to 4 lakh meters per annum and outsource most of the task to public and private sector companies,” a senior official in the coal ministry, who did not wish to be quoted, told ET. CMPDIL is a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd (CIL).
Read more

Subsequent to an announcement, a June 12th, 2008 press release, of a proposed Joint Venture program between Royal Standard Minerals Inc. and Sharpe Resources Corp. to jointly explore and develop coal projects in Eastern Kentucky, the Boards of Directors of Royal Standard Minerals Inc. and Sharpe Resources Corporation have completed a 50-50 Joint Venture agreement to jointly pursue the exploration and development of coal projects in Eastern Kentucky. The agreement was approved and executed on November 21, 2008 and is subject to regulatory approvals, according to Roland M. Larsen, Qualified Person.

The information presented in this press release is subject to the various regulatory approvals. The economic viability of these projects is uncertain and is contingent upon coal pricing and mining conditions that could affect the project economics.
Read more

Whitewater Mining Corporation (PINKSHEETS: WWTML), a junior exploration company who is acquiring and developing mining concessions in Latin America, has just signed a Letter of Intent for a 10,000 hectare thermic coal mining concession in Valledupar, Cesar in Colombia. The concession in an area with large bituminous coal reserves of excellent quality. Its preliminary evaluation has also shown mining potential in gold, copper, baritine, and ornamental rocks.

Whitewater believes that a focus on coal is a strong strategic move for the company. Coal reserves are expected to last for another 200 plus years at the present rate of consumption and recent developments in clean coal technology makes it an attractive long term source of energy. Colombia is by far the leading producer of coal in Latin America with 71% of production and is an ideal target for Whitewater as they have strong political and local connections in the country. Read more

Shares in Central Petroleum are higher this morning after the company announced the discovery of coal intersections at a Northern Territory exploration permit.

The company said, in a letter to the Northern Territory Government, that the 100 metre thick coal intersections at its EP 93 permit could be commercialised through either a coal bed methane project or an underground coal gasification project.

The coal find is in the precinct of the Perdika Basin, located on the border between South Australia and the Northern Territory.

The announcement came after Central announced that joint venture partner Petroleum Exploration Australia had paid it $4.8 million in outstanding cash calls and interest relating to nine permits, including EP 93. Read more

The National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), a Navratna central public sector company under the Steel Ministry, today joined hands with West Bengal Mineral Development and Trading Corporation Limited (WBMDTC) to explore and mine the two billion ton Deocha-Pachami coal block in Birbhum district.

An MoU was signed in this regard here in presence of Steel and Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and State Industries Minister Nirupam Sen among others.

The MoU paved way for the geological exploration of the deposit to establish the technical and commercial viability of the project. A joint venture company between NMDC and WBMDTC will be incorporated later to carry the project forward.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Paswan said NMDC was on a fast track expansion and diversification mode with plans to acquire more mining leases in iron ore, coal, diamond etc and setting up pelletisation plants in Bailadila and Donimalai and also an integrated steel plant in Chhattisgarh. Read more