Two of the World’s Five Largest Coal Mines Now in India

WorldAtlas has published a list of the top ten largest coal mines in the world, and the Gevra and Kusmunda coal mines, which are owned by South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) and are located in Chhattisgarh, India, respectively, come in at number two and four. These two mines, which are situated in the Korba region of the state of Chhattisgarh, generate about 100 million tonnes of coal each annum, which is equivalent to around 10% of India’s entire coal production.

In fiscal year 23–24, the Gevra opencast mine produced 59 million tonnes of coal, well below its yearly output capability of 70 million tonnes. The mine began producing coal in 1981 and has sufficient reserves to cover the nation's energy needs for the following decade.

In FY 23–24, the Kusmunda OC mine became the second Indian mine, after Gevra, to produce more than 50 million tonnes of coal.

In reference to this new achievement, the Chief Management Director of SECL, Dr. Prem Sagar Mishra, expressed that it is definitely a moment of pride for the state of Chhattisgarh that two of the five largest coal mines in the world are now located within the state. Mishra expressed his thanks to the Coal Ministry, the Ministry of Energy and Financial Coordination, the State Government, Coal India, Railways, and a variety of stakeholders, but most significantly, to the coal warriors who have laboured ceaselessly to accomplish this remarkable accomplishment.

Both Mines are Operated With High Tech Machines

The mining operations at these mines have made use of some of the most innovative and largest mining machinery in the world, such as the "Surface Miner," which is designed to extract and chop coal without the need for blasting in order to make mining operations more environmentally friendly.

For the purpose of overburden removal, which is the process of removing layers of soil, stone, and other materials in order to expose the coal seam, the mines make use of some of the largest Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM) in the world. These include 240-tonne dumpers, 42 cubic meters Shovels, and Vertical Rippers, which are designed to remove overburden in a manner that is both environmentally friendly and blast-free.

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In 1994, when there were only around 2700 websites on the internet, geographer John Moen and his wife Chris Woolwine-Moen established WorldAtlas as a passion project. In addition to being backed by Reunion Technology Inc., WorldAtlas is run by an editorial and development staff that is diverse in background and experience. Their goal is to provide accurate data about the world derived from reliable sources.