Title front - Sindh Board Of Investment, Government Of Sindh

IntroductionCoal is one of the three key fossil fuels meeting the energy needs of the world. It is used for powergeneration of 40% of world’s electricity generation. In countries like the USA, Australia, Germany, Chinaand India the use of coal for power generation ranges from 25% to 70%. In some countries like Germanyand South Africa, coal is being used as vehicular fuel by converting it into liquid. Coal can also beliquefied or gasified to provide fuel for electricity generation as well as for industrial and domestic uses.Pakistan with its 185 billion tons of coal reserves in Sindh alone produces only 50 MW of electricity fromcoal, which constitutes only a minuscule 2% of total electricity produced in the country. The optimalutilization of coal resources of Sindh particularly those of Thar coalfield is the unavoidable need of thehour for Pakistan.Resource BaseGeological Features of Thar CoalfieldThe hot sandy desert of Thar houses one of the largest lignite coal reserves in the world. The lignite isdark brown, grayish black or black in colour and the coalbed is covered by a large overburden. Thisoverburden with a total depth varying from 150 m to 230 m consists of three types of materials: sanddunes, alluvium, and sedimentary rocks. Sand, which constitutes bulk of the overburden, is about 80 mdeep. In addition, three aquifers (water-bearing zones) naturally exist over coalbed, at coalbed level,and below coalbed at average depths of 50 m, 120 m, and 200 m respectively. Because of this peculiargeology, mining in Thar presents some unique challenges to prospective investors.Volume of Coal ResourcesIn Sindh, total coal resources are estimated at 185 billion tons out of which 175 billion tones are foundin Thar coalfield alone. Thar coalfield contains arguably the largest lignite deposits in the world, whichis spread over 9000 sq. km and is located at a distance of 380 km from Karachi in the Thar desert, whichis one of the most peaceful and harmonious regions in the country. Thar is the 9th largest desert in theworld and is also one of the most densely populated comprising 91,000 inhabitants, whose mainsources of income are crop agriculture andlivestock. Thar coal resources have an estimated Thar coalfield(billion tones)175.506potential of generating 100,000 MW of electricitySonda-Jherruk, Thatta7.112for a period of 300 years. About 10 billion tons ofcoal reserves also exist in Lakhra, Sonda, Jhampir,Lakhra, Dadu1.328and Badin in Sindh. Following is the completebreakdown of coal resources in Sindh:BadinTotal1.35185.278Sindh - The Land of Endless Opportunities