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Coal Resources in India: Indian coalfields have been classified into two classes:-

• (i) the Gondwana system of strata extending from West Bengal to Bihar, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, and
• (ii) the Tertiary beds in Assam and Rajasthan.

The coal reserves are estimated to beat least 86 million tonnes or about 1.6 per cent of world total, mostly concentrated in the Gondwana basin. One third of it is workable. In 1987-88 production of coal amounted to 155 millon tonnes including lignite of 4 million tonnes. Coal production in India reached an all time peak of 154.23 million tonnes in 1985-86.

Southern Hemisphere: Coal reserves in the Southern Hemisphere are very small. The entire Southern Hemisphere produces less than 5 per cent of the world's coal output.

Union of South Africa has deposits of coal in Natal, the Cape of Good Hope and Transvaal. In 1987-88 she produced 95 million metric tons. The coal is of inferior quality, with the exception of that of Natal. In Australia considerable quantities of coking coal are mined. The high-grade coal of Australia is confined largely to the eastern part of New South Wales. About 80 percent of the country's output of coal is raised from this field. Victoria produces lignite and Queensland, western Australia and Tasmania produce relatively small amount of sub-bituminous and lignite.

World trade in coal. The volume of coal entering world trade is only about 5%. This is because coal is a bulky commodity and it is not easy to handle like oil. The United States is the largest exporter of coal mainly to Europe, Canada and Japan. There is considerable trade amongst the West European countries. Similarly, there is trade between Russia and countries of Eastern Europe. Some countries export bituminous coal and import coking coal for steel plants. Every year about 2 billion tons of coals are being used for power and fuel in different countries of the world. As a result, the coal reserves, especially in West Europe and in the U.S.A. have been depleted. Mines have become deeper and therefore mining has become costlier in the older mines in UK, USA and West Europe. The imperative need is therefore to adopt a policy of conservation of coal. The policy is to encourage economic exploitation of coal by avoiding unnecessary wastage and have best possible utilization of coal. Coal is an example of fund resource. Coal once mined and used is lost forever. The last century of industrial age has been one of coal civilization. Industrial cities and towns have appeared on or near coalmines. With a emergence of other sources of power and increasing exhaustion of coal reserves, it is extremely doubtful whether this status can be maintained in the future. The power of attraction of coalmines is bound to decrease in the long run. It is gratifying to note that various conservation measures are being brought into force in different countries of the world.

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