Chapter 10

1. Techno-Economic Feasibility Study [TEFS] of Khalashpir Coal Deposit; Pirganj Upazilla; District Rangpur; Bangladesh – [2004-2007].
   2. Hosaf-Group (Bangladesh) & CMC (China) Joint-Venture Proposal (2016) to Govt. of Bangladesh for Construction &  Development of Khalashpir Coal Deposit:
   
   -Presented, in 2016, by:
   -Engr. Abul KM Shamsuddin; Project Director,
   –Techno-Economic Feasibility Study [TEFS] of Khalashpir Coal Deposit & Project Coordinator, Hosaf-China Joint Venture Consortium.

Khalashpir Coal Project: A Joint Venture of CMC & Hosaf
Resource & Location of Coal Deposit

• Bangladesh, a land of natural beauty, has a significant source of vast quantities of natural resources.
• Khalashpir is located in north-west of Bangladesh at Pirganj Upazila under Rangpur District, which is around 300 km north of Dhaka.
• Khalashpir Coal Basin, an area of 12.15 sq. km, is at a distance of 13 km towards west of Pirganj Upazilla with a coal deposit in 7.5 sq. km.

• In 2004, Hosaf Consortium was awarded the Exploration License and they undertook survey to evaluate the deposit through topographic survey, 2D & 3D seismic survey, and drilling of boreholes.

•  15 boreholes were drilled covering coal basin area of 12.25 sq. km during 2005-2006. All the holes penetrated coal seams. 
•  According to boreholes and seismic data total reserve of coal is 451 million tons.

Coal Seams

• During the course of drilling, eight (8) coal seams were encountered at depths ranging from about 240m to 480m.
• Initially Seam 1, 2 & 4 has been considered for mining on geological settings. 
• Proven coal reserves in Seam 1, 2 & 4 is 297.57 million tons. 

Coal Basin

Coal basin is divided into following blocks:

• Central Block
• South Block
• West & North-West Block
• North-East Block
• East Block

Measured Coal Reserve

Measured reserve in:

• Central block = 136.28 million tons 
• East block = 40.00 million tons 
• North-East block = 17.39 million tons
• West & North-West block = 79.70 million tons
• South block = 28.33 million tons

Project Development Schedule

A time frame to conduct seismic, drilling, geo-physical logging, chemical analysis of coal, hydro-geological investigation, geo-technical investigation, EIA & SIA of the Coal Mine is proposed as follows: 

• 2D Seismic Survey = July 2021 – Dec 2021;
• Exploration drilling of 10 boreholes = Jan 2022 – June 2022. (Spacing between 2 holes = 250m);
• Geo-physical logging, chemical analysis, geo-technical investigation = July 2022 – Dec 2022.
• Hydro-geological test/pump test, EIA & SIA =  Jan 2023 – June 2023; 
• Mine Construction & Development = January 2023 –  December 2025 (3-years);
• Bye Product from Shaft & Roadway = 0.80 million tons from December 2025.
• Commencement of Production 1.00 million tons = January  2026. (Generation of 600 Mw of Electricity from 6th year).
• Generation of 1200 MW of Electricity from 12th Year. 

Central Basin

• First phase of mining will be in the Central basin area.
• The area of central block is 3.0 sq. km and measured reserve is 136.28 million tons of seam-1, 2 & 4. 
• In the first phase of mining, about 100 million tons coal will be extracted over 20 years, where mine construction period will be 3 years.

Shaft Location & Sinking

• Three shaft locations have been proposed at the southern-western boundary as Option-1, Option-2 & Option-3. The size of each shaft locations including surface facilities area is 1.0 sq.km. 
• Option-1 is selected for surface facilities and 
• 2 shafts – i.e. cage shaft for men and machinery & skip shaft for coal. 
• There will also be provision of 3rd shaft/ventilation shaft as per requirement of coal production and other facilities.
• Ground freezing method will be applied for shaft sinking in Khalashpir.

Mine Plan & Design

Following will be built at the surface:

•  Mine office 
•  Workshop
•  Store-yard 
•  Lamp room 
•  Water treatment plant 
•  Coal washery plant 
•  Generator house and 
•  Mine rescue station

Coal Extraction

• Long-wall Top Coal Caving method will be applied with Long-wall Top Mining with caving/stowing, room and pillar mining where necessary. 

•  Expected coal recovery will be 60% -70% and production from blocks is adjustable as per market demand.

Coal Quality

• Khalashpir coal is high grade bituminous coal having coking properties at some layers of the seam. It contains –
• Moisture: 2.14%
• Ash: 13.30%
• Volatile Matter: 26.72%
• Fixed Carbon: 59.97%
• Sulfur: 0.67%
• Calorific Value: 12,415 BTU/lb

Coal Production

Total Production from Central Block in 20 years = 100.80 million tons

This is about 70% of the measured reserve in seam-1, 2, & 4

No production in first 3 years : Development period

• Year 1 (2023)
• Year 2 (2024)
• Year 3 (2025)
• Year 4 (2026): Final stage development ; Partial Prod: 0.8 MT 
• Year 5 (2027): 1.00 million tons
• Year 6(2028): 3.00 million tons: 600 MWH Power Generation
• Year 7 (2029): 3.00 million ton
• Year 8, 9, 10 (2030-32): 15.00 million ton: 1200 MWH Power Generation from 8th Year & continue till 20th year i.e. upto 2042.
• Year 11 (2033): 8.00 million tons
• Year-12 to Year-20: 70.00 million tons in 9-years by 2042.

Commercial Use of Coal

• Power Stations for power generation: 

Around 60% to 70% of the produced coal from Khalashpir Coal Mine will be used for power Station.  

• Two super-critical Power Units of 600 MW each: 

Khalashpir coal will be able to generate total 1200 MW of electricity during the mining period. 

• Job opportunities: 

       Through two big industries – Coal Mine & Power Plant 

• For other local coal based industry: 

Coal may also be made available to other local coal based power plants thereby contributing in reducing the foreign funds required to import coal.

Subsidence Effect

Expected Subsidence area = 3.0 sq. km

• 1st five years  –  No subsidence
• 2nd five years –  3m  
• 3rd five years –  2m  
• 4th five years –  3m of subsidence

Total Subsidence depth = about 8m (26.24 ft) in the entire mining life.

Measures for Subsidence

Measures to be adopted by Crop Compensation: 

• 1st five years – Continue cropping of the agricultural land.
• 2nd five years – The compensation of crops will compensate 1.5 times of grows, and resettle of households in resettlement area, besides these 1-3 member of each household will be employed.
• 3rd five years – Different SME projects will demonstrate in the affected households.
• 4th five years – Fish farming and ecological rehabilitation

Measures to be adopted to reclaim/protect subsidence of land : 

• Fish farming: By applying Deeper and Pad shallow method, and will be applied modern fish farming.  
• Ecological rehabilitation: Restore ecological environment by making banks, plantation of trees and grass.

Rehabilitation

Out of Total Central Block Area: 3.0 sq.km

• Agricultural Land area is 2.41 sq.km &
• Village area is 0.59 sq.km

For Agricultural Land

• This area will be acquired from the landowner.
• Landowners will also be rehabilitated with houses in the resettlement area

Village Area contains 603 Houses and 

• Total 3007 inhabitants/dwellers
• Inhabitant/dwellers of the area will be rehabilitated at the proposed resettlement area of about 150 acres of land. Location: Vill. Boalmari, Mouza. Bisna, JL.No.19, Union. 6 no. Tukuria, P.S. Pirganj, Dist. Rangpur.
• The resettlement area will be facilitated by constructing houses, schools, mosque, primary health care facilities, playground, park, plantation area with other modern facilities.

Conclusion

• Techno-Economic Feasibility Study of Khalashpir Coal Deposit submitted to Bureau of Mineral Development (BMD) on August 23, 2006 seeking mining lease for the development of the coal field.
• Financial analysis (B. C. Ratio and IRR) of the project shows that the project is technically feasible and economically viable.
• Khalashpir coal can generate 1200 MW of power from 12th year to 30th year.  
• Clearance from the GOB is requested to go ahead with the project observing all the required formalities. 
• Marching Ahead in the Energy Sector
• China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) and Hosaf International Limited (A Sister Concern of Hosaf Group)