GEOLOGY OF THE PADHRAR

Chorgali formation contains the different deposits which are listed below from top to bottom:

Nadular lime stone + clay + soil 10-35 ft

Massive deposit of Sakasar lime stone 100 ft
Shale Band 10-15 ft
Namal Lime stone (chalky) 100 ft
Patala Shale 40-60 ft
Coal Seam inside after 30 ft or 50 ft 1.50- 2 ft

PADHRAR COAL MINE PCP 3

In this padhrar caol mine the short wall mining method is employed. The access entry is an
incline at an angle of 33˚ having length of
982 ft and height 8 ft and 6 ft wide.

At the bottom of the incline there is a chute

system for the loading of the mine cars. The
horizontal distance from chute system to face
is 1500 ft. And there are five entries of 50 ft
apart from each other.The entry is 150-200 ft
long from main entry to the face.Pannel
entries are 6 ft high and 6 ft wide.

The face is 3 ft high having 1 ft under cut and

above under cut there is a coal seam of
average 1.5 ft.

HAULAGE SYSTEM:

The engine haulage system is used for the

hauling of mine car from chute system to the
surface.The rocket engine having 6 cylinders
of 88 hp is used to drive the mine car to out
of the mine.The cars used in the mine are of
granby type (“W” shape) which open from
both the ends to dispose off the coal at
loading station near by chute system.Gage
of the rail track is 27 inch.The rope used for
the hualage of mine cars is 20 mm in
diameter and length 1200 ft. In mine the
hand tramming is used to haul the mined
coal from face to chute system. At the surface there is a head frame of “A” shape at which an
automatic tippling system is employed.
VENTILATION SYSTEM:

Natural ventilation is assited by the mechanical

ventilation in which 2 blower fans of 0.5 hp and
1 exhaust fan of 5 hp is used. The blower fans
are used in the 3rd and 4th entries while the
exhaust fan is used at the end of the face. The
pipes of poly fiberic material are used to
provide air from blower to the working face.
The ventilation circuit is completed through the
gob entries which are connected to the other
shafts of PCP 1 and PCP 2.

SUPPORT SYSTEM:

Cap and post are used to Support main entries and panel entries and the square sets are used
to support the face.
LIGHTING SYSTEM:

The 60 W bulbs are used to enlight the whole mine.

WORKING AT THE FACE:

An under cut of about 1 ft is made to provide an additional free face to the coal seam using
hand pick. Coal is also broken by hand pick. The coal is excavated in advanement and the
back filling is done to give the support.
 COAL MINING PRACTICES IN PAKISTAN
PMDC is operating the following coal mines:

1. Lakhra Collieries, District Dadu

2. Degari Collieries, District Mastung
3. Sor- Range, District Quetta
4. Shahrig, District Sibi

LAKHRA COLLIERIES
Location 176km north of Karachi
Or 65km northwest of Hyderabad
Coal Field Lakhra Coal Field
Geological horizon Paleocene
Type of Coal Sub-bituminous to lignite
Calorific values 2, 570 to 4, 260 kcal
Working system Room and Pillar method
Leased area (two leases) 5, 096.49 acres
Total coal reserves 38.82 million tons
Production (2006-07) 185,533 tons

DEGARI COLLIERIES
Location 35km south-east of Quetta
Geological horizon Eocene
Coal Field Degari- Sor-Range
Type of Coal Sub-bituminous-A to high volatile B-bituminous
Calorific values 4, 830 to 6, 060 kcal
Working Depth 1000 meters (deepest mine in Pakistan)
Mining system Long wall system
Leased Area 4, 779.17 hectares
Coal reserves 15.42 million tones
Production (2006-07) 37,25 tons
 SOR- RANGE COLLIERIES
Location 16km east of Quetta
Coal Field Degari- Sor-Range Field
Geological horizon Eocene
Type of coal Sub-bituminous-A to high volatile B-bituminous
Calorific values 4, 930 to 6, 100 kcal
Mining Method Long wall system
Leased Area 1, 674 acres
Coal reserves 12.95 million tones
Production (2006-07) 56,005 tons

SHAHRIG COLLIERIES
Location 160km north-east of Quetta
Coal Field Shahrig- Khost- Harnai Coal Field
Geological horizon Eocene
Sub Bituminous B to heavy volatile
Type of Coal
Bituminous-A
Calorific values 4,420 to 7, 000 kcal
Mining Method Long wall system
Leased Area 6, 551.46 acres
Coal resources 28.97 million tones
Production (2006-07) 121,549 tons