Distribution of Coal in India
Occurrence: Major coalfields in India lie East- West , starting from a point approximately 185 km NW of Kolkata (Calcutta) and streaching ewestward. Distribution of coals in India can be subdivided into a) Lower Gondowana Coalfields, b) Upper Gondowana Coalfields, c) Tertiary Coalfields. The tables below show over all distribution of coalfields in India.
Gondowana Coals are most important in India and account for more than 90% of coal production in country. The land mass of southern hemisphere was united with South Africa, India, Australia and possibly South America. India drifted north-east relative to Africa and the Gondowana landmass was exposed to sub-aerial conditions for a long period of time. The initiation of Gondowana period is marked by a glacial period (evidenced by Talcher Series). Climate changed to a more temperate condition in later period melting snow and allowing prolific growth of vegetation. This huge vegetation got buried and produced Gondowana Coals. The land subsidence began in the east giving rise to a great depth of Barakar and Ranigunju measures. The great depth along with earth movement allowed the coal seam to lose moisture and volatile matter and change in chemical conditions and sometimes converted to coke (example: Barakar Strata). To the west, subsidence was less as evidenced by thin and poor quality coal seams.
Tertiary Coals contribute very little of the total coal production in India. They usually have high sulfur content (2-8%).
a) Lower Gondowana Coalfields in India:
|West Bengal||Damodar Valley||Raniganj (Trans Barakar),Bankura|
|Darjeeling District||Bagrakote, Tindharia|
|Bihar||Damodar Valley||Ranigunj (Cis Barakar), Jharia, Bokaro, Chandrapura, South Karampura, North Karampura, Ramgarh|
|Rajmahal Area||Hura, Gilhuria and Jilbari, Chuparbhita, Pachwara, Brahmini|
|Deogarh Area||Kundit Kuria, Sahajuri, Jainti|
|Hazaribagh District||Giridhi, Chope, Itkhori.|
|Palamu Region||Anuranga, Daltongunj, Hutar|
|Madha Pradesh||South Rawa Region||Singrauli, Korar, Johilla river, Umaria, Sohagpur|
|North Chattishgarh Region||Jhilmili, Tatapani-Ramkola, Sanhat, Jharkhand, Chirimiri-Kurasia, Koreagarh, Bassar, Bisrampur, Lakhanpur, Panchbhaini, Dambhamunda, Sendargarh|
|South Chattishgarh Region||Hasdo -Rampur, Korba, Raigarh, Mand River, Kankani.|
|Satpura Region||MOhpani, Sonada, Sahpur (Tawa), Dulhara (Tawa), Pathakera, Bamhanwara, Upper Tawa Valley, Kanhan Valley, Pench Valley.|
|Maharashtra||Wardha Valley||Kamptee, Bandar, Warora, Rajur (Wun), Ghugus – Telwasa, Chanda, Ballarpur, Wamanapalli, Antargaon – Aksapur, Sasti – Rajpura.|
|Orissa||Mahanadi Valley||Talcher, Ib river (Rampur – Hingir).|
|Andhra Pradesh||Pranhita – Godavari Valley||Tandur Kanala, North Godavari, South Godavari, Jangam, Chinur-Sendrapalli, Kamavaram, Bandala – Alapalli, Singareni (yellendu), Lingala, Kothagudium, Damar-cherla, Kannergiri, Beddadanuru.|
|Uttar Pradesh||Kota (in Mirzapur District)|
|Assam||Abor, Aka and Daphla Hills|
b) Upper Gondowana Coalfields in India:
|Madhapradesh||Satpura Region||Hard River Valley|
C) Tertiary Coalfields in India:
|Assam||Upper Assam||Namphuk, Namchik, Makum, Jaipur, Nazira, Janji, Disai|
|Mikir Hills||Longloi Hills, Dissoma River, Numbor River, Doigrung River, Koilapahar|
|Khasi and Jaintia Hills||Langrin, Barsoura, Wah, Rongah Valley, Lakma, Umasur, Charigaon, Cherrapunji, Um Rileng, Mawlong, Mawbehlarkar, Rangsonoba, Lairango, Jarain, Lakadong, Satunga|
|Garo Hills||Karaibari, Rongreggiri, Daranggiri, Tura, Sogring, Waimong|
|Jammu and Kashmir||Kalakoth, Methka, Mahogala, Chakar, Dhanswal-Sawalkot, Ladda, Chinkah, Kashmir Valley lignites|
|Rajasthan||Palana (in Bikanir)|
|Madras||Neyveli (South Arkot), Cuddalore – Pondicherry Area|
|Gujrat||Umarsar (in Kutch)|
Note: It is really very hard to find any good book on coals in India. I have used “Advanced Coal Mining” by B.M Vorobjev and R.T Deshmukh published in 1964! If you know some good reference other than the book I mentioned, please let us know.