Coal India Limited: Comprehensive Overview | Indian Minerology

-
Coal India Limited: Comprehensive Overview

Coal India Limited – Powering India’s Energy Security

Coal India Limited (CIL) is the world’s largest coal mining company and a cornerstone of India’s energy framework. It fuels electricity generation, steel production, and many vital industries while employing over two lakh people across the country.

📍 Head Office

The corporate headquarters of Coal India Limited is located in:

Coal India Limited Headquarters
Koyla Bhawan, Plot No. AF‑III, Action Area‑1A,
New Town, Rajarhat, Kolkata – 700156,
West Bengal, India.

CIL also maintains a corporate office in New Delhi and regional offices at major subsidiary locations.

🏢 Company Overview

Coal India Limited — established in November 1975 — was created by the Government of India to centralize coal production and mine operations. Today, it is a Maharatna public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Coal.

  • Founded: 1st November 1975.
  • Status: Maharatna PSU (Central Public Sector Enterprise).
  • Workforce: Over 2.2 lakh employees.
  • Area of operation: Across 8 Indian states.
  • Main products: Thermal (non‑coking) & coking coal.

📦 What Coal India Produces

CIL produces two primary grades of coal:

  • Non‑coking (thermal) coal: Used mainly for power generation and industrial boilers.
  • Coking coal: Used in steel industries for iron making.

The company also engages in exploration, coal planning, mine design, and emerging clean & renewable energy ventures through specialized subsidiaries.

🔋 Annual Coal Production

Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries together produced a record 781.06 million tonnes (MT) of coal in the financial year 2024‑25. This output includes both coking and non‑coking coal and represents one of the highest production figures in the company’s history.

CIL accounts for roughly 75–80% of India’s total domestic coal supply, making it critical for the nation’s energy demands, including electricity and industrial sectors.

🧑‍💼 List of Subsidiaries

CIL operates through several wholly‑owned subsidiaries and joint ventures. These subsidiaries handle coal production, planning, engineering, and diversification into new energy areas.

  • Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL)
  • Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL)
  • Central Coalfields Limited (CCL)
  • Western Coalfields Limited (WCL)
  • South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL)
  • Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL)
  • Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL)
  • Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Ltd (CMPDIL)
  • CIL Navikarniya Urja Limited (CNUL)
  • CIL Solar PV Limited (CSPL)
  • Coal India Africana Limitada (CIAL) – Mozambique
  • Bharat Coal Gasification and Chemicals Ltd (BCGCL)

Additionally, CIL has joint ventures in fertilizers, renewables, and international coal ventures.

⚙️ How CIL Operates

CIL runs a mix of open‑cast, underground, and mixed mines using modern mining technologies. Its operations span eight states including Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, among others. 16

CIL’s engineering and planning arm (CMPDIL) provides consultancy, exploration, and detailed project planning for mines.

🌱 Diversification and Future Focus

While coal remains CIL’s core business, the company is also exploring renewable energy and clean energy initiatives through subsidiaries like CIL Solar PV Limited and other joint efforts.

Recent reports indicate plans for strategic projects and potential listings (IPOs) of major subsidiaries to unlock value and enhance governance.

📌 Quick Facts

  • CIL is India’s largest coal producer by volume.
  • It accounts for the majority of coal used in electricity generation in India.
  • The company celebrated 50 years of operations in 2025.

All data sourced from public records and recent official statistics.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ADVANCING AND RETREATING LONGWALLS

-
Image
ADVANCING AND RETREATING LONGWALLS:- Advancing Longwalls:- In this method, the face start point is close to the main headings, usually leaving a barrier pillar to protect them. Once the face equipment is installed, extraction commences working away from the main headings towards the block limit. Obviously the main and tailgates do not exist prior to the start of extraction and have to be formed at each end of the face as mining progresses. The gate roads are effectively in the goaf and a false rib has to be installed on one side, usually by constructing a small pillar, sometimes using stone cut from the roof in thin seams or using some type of cementitious material brought into the mine. Such gate roads tend to require a very heavy support system (yielding steel arches have often been used). Principle of advancing longwall Advancing longwalls were once common in Europe in relatively thin seams where packs were constructed using stone, which had ...
Read more continue...... »

Continuous Miner

-
Image
Continuous Miner:- Continuous Miner:- A continuous miner is a mining machine that produces a constant flow of ore from the working face of the mine. The machine continuously extracts as it is loading coal with a cutting steel drum and conveyor system. Continuous miners are typically used in room and pillar mining operations. The continuous miner is different from conventional or cyclical mining methods, which halt the extraction process in order for ore-loading to proceed. Continuous miners, which began to take off in the mining industry in the 1940s, make up of 45 percent of the underground coalmine production. Today, continuous miners are being developed as driverless machines controlled via remote control. History:- Early Miners:- The continuous miner has been available in some form since the late 1800s. The first machine to resemble a continuous miner was known as the English Channel Machine. The pneumatically driven machine could travel 1.5 miles (2...
Read more continue...... »