CBL - Sharda Highwall

Highwall mining technology is a very widely practised technology in USA for extraction of thin seams. Substantial amount of coal is produced every year by this technology. In India till very recent times, this technology had no application. South Eastern Coalfields Limited introduced Highwall Mining technology for extraction of coal from thin seams in the range of 0.9m to 1.5m, available at Sharda Opencast mines within the command area of Sohagpur Area in 2011. This technology was new in India, there was no reputed consultant/scientific organisation that had the experience & expertise in designing of Highwall mining. Cuprum Bagrodia Ltd. after getting the contract, entrusted the job of designing the Highwall mining to a reputed American consultant who had the experience of designing Highwall Mining. The basic objective of the SECL project at Sharda O/C mine is to achieve production of 5,00,000 tonne of coal/annum. The mining operation had been started at the location of old Sharda O/C mine (Bakho Block) which was already abandoned after extracting the thicker seam by Open cast mining and a number of thin seams in the range of 0.9m to 1.5m are still available below the existing floor of Sharda O/C mine.

Currently more than 5,00,000 tonne of coal is mined each year from this abandoned Sharda coal mine giving the mine a new life of more than 15 years.