Mining, Minerals, and Fuel Resources of Bangladesh

Welcome to my motherland(Bangladesh)

Bangladesh is a country in Southeast Asia that lies between India and Burma. The nation has a total size of 143,998 km2 and a population of 161,083,804 people as of July 2011. The climate of the nation is mostly tropical.

The national flag of Bangladesh.
Image Credit: CIA Factbook

After splitting from India after independence, East Pakistan seceded from West Pakistan in 1971 and was called Bangladesh. Over the years, the country has suffered from unstable regimes and destructive floods, making it an impoverished country. Bangladesh's GDP was $285.8 billion in 2011. Bangladesh's natural resources are limited and include natural gas and coal. The mining industry has a minor part in the country's economy, which is dominated by agriculture and textiles. Mining, Minerals, and Fuel Resources in Bangladesh are abundant in every corner of this nation.

A Quick Look at the Resources

Bangladesh's mining industry produced mostly coal, natural gas, petroleum, and granite in 2010. The nation lacks metallic mineral deposits, however, it compensates for this by having a large natural gas potential.

The national map of Bangladesh. Image Credit: CIA Factbook

The state owns the Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corp. (Petrobangla). Natural gas exploration, production, and distribution are entirely the responsibility of the state.

Mineral Resources

Mineral Resources include mineral reserves as well as any additional deposits that may become accessible in the future - either known deposits that are not now economically or technologically recoverable or undiscovered deposits, rich or lean, that may exist but have not yet been identified. Bangladesh is covered with Tertiary folded sedimentary rocks (12%) in the north, northeastern, and eastern regions of the nation; uplifted Pleistocene residuum (8%) in the northwestern, mid northern, and eastern parts; and Holocene deposits (80%) consisting of unconsolidated sand, silt, and clay. The oldest exposed rock is the Palaeocene Tura Sandstone, while earlier rocks such as Mesozoic and Palaeozoic among Precambrian basement have been discovered in drill holes in the country's northwestern region.

Natural gas, coal, limestone, hard rock, gravel, boulder, glass sand, building sand, white clay, brick clay, peat, and beach sand heavy minerals are key mineral reserves of Bangladesh due to its distinct geological environment. Tertiary Natural gas and oil have been discovered in Bangladesh because of the Barail shales that exist inside the oil and gas windows. Gas and oil have traveled higher after production, passing through multi-kilometer geological layers to reach and collect inappropriate sandstone reservoirs in the Neogene Bhuban and Bokabil rock formations. Gravel, glass sand, building sand, peat, and beach sand may be found in Holocene layers, whereas white clay (kaolin) can be found in late Pleistocene deposits in minor hills around the nation. White clay and glass sand deposits have also been identified under the surface in the north-western section. Small-scale quarrying is used to exploit limestone, building sand, gravel, glass sand, white clay, and beach sand deposits. The white clay and glass sand deposits under the surface have yet to be exploited. Subsurface coal and hard rock mines are being developed.

Natural gas and oil Bangladesh has 23 gas fields of varying sizes that have been identified. The 23 gas fields have a total recoverable proven and probable (P1+ P2) resource of 21.05 TCF. As of June 2009, a total of 8.37 TCF of gas has been produced, leaving a remaining proven and probable (P1 + P2) recoverable resource of 12.68 TCF. The gas is dry in most fields but wet in a few, with significant levels of condensate, such as in Beanibazar (16 bbl/mmcfg), Jalalabad (15 bbl/mmcfg), and Kailashtila (13 bbl/mmcfg). Natural gas already provides for more than 75 percent of global commercial energy use, and it will meet the majority of future energy demand.

The power sector consumes the most gas (52%); the fertilizer sector consumes the second (28%); and industrial, residential, commercial, and other sectors use the third (20%). Currently, 17 gas fields in the public and private sectors are producing gas at rates ranging from 2000 mmcfg per day to 5000 mmcfg per day.

In 1986, the country's lone oilfield, Haripur, was found. It contains a recoverable reserve of around 6 million barrels and an estimated in-place oil reserve of roughly 10 million barrels. In six and a half years, the oil field produced 0.56 million barrels of oil, but production was halted in 1994.

The Haripur oil field has not been thoroughly examined, although it has been indicated that if comprehensive assessment work is completed, there is potential for full-scale extraction. The Kailashtila and Fenchuganj gas fields also include crude oil-producing reservoir horizons, however, these have yet to be proven economically viable. A number of multinational oil corporations (IOC) are exploring hydrocarbons in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration Corporation (BAPEX), a petrobangla venture and the sole domestic company has proven successful.

The Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) first found coal in Pakistan in 1959, and it was at a deep depth. The geological survey of Bangladesh (GSB) resumed its research activities, which yielded the discovery of four new coalfields. BHP Minerals, a joint venture between the United States and Australia, identified five coalfields in 1997. All of the found fields are in the country's northwestern corner.

The Barapukuria Coal Mine began commercial coal production in April 2003, with a goal of producing 1 million short tons of coal per year (Mmst/y). However, the mine produces less than 1 million tons of coal per year, while the nearby 250 MW plant requires 0.65 million tons of coal each year. 2.35 million tons will be available for domestic usage. Coal has played an important role in irrigation and energy consumption in the country's northwestern region. In brickfields, some coal is also utilized.

In January 1997, BHP Minerals found the Phulbari coalfield. The license to develop the mine was eventually sold to Asia Energy Corporation (AEC), an Australian corporation. AEC is now working on a full feasibility study for the construction of an open-pit mine with an initial annual output of 2.9 million tons and a future production of 9 million tons.

Coal supplied from India, China, and Indonesia is mostly used in brickfields, both public and private, as well as in small businesses.

Barapukuria coal mine

The underground coal mine in Barapuluria in the Dinajpur District is owned by Petrobangla's coal mining company, Barapukuria Coal Mining Co. Ltd (BCMCL). While the mine was expected to generate 1 million tonnes per year from a longwall mining operation, it has faced intense community resistance, employee unhappiness, and low output. Approximately 70% of the mine's production is sent to the Barapukuria Coal Power Plant, which is already operational.

On the surface, the 2,500-acre underground mine comprises 650 acres of agricultural land. According to the International Accountability Project, mining activities at Barapukuria have devastated nearly 300 acres of land, affecting over 2,500 people in seven villages, due to ground subsidence of over one meter in depth, which has destroyed crops and fields, as well as damaged dwellings. Large amounts of water pumped out for the Barapukuria mine caused a quick reduction in water levels, causing people in 15 communities to lose access to water. The mine has been met with strong hostility from the local population and is still being protested.

The mine was first constructed and managed under a six-year arrangement between the China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) and the Xuzhou Coal Mining Group Company. However, prior to the agreement's expiration in August 2011, the Barapukuria Coal Mining Company requested expressions of interest from mining corporations for the mine's future growth. Despite Peabody's interest in the project, the contract was awarded to the incumbent operator, a partnership consisting of and CMC. BCMC signed a new six-year contract with the hope that production from the mine, which was over 800,000 tonnes in 2011, will more than quadruple the following year.

BCMC indicated in its 2011 annual report that a goal yearly output of 5.5 million tonnes of coal has been envisaged under the new contract.

The planned extension would provide some of the production for the proposed Barapukuria 3rd Unit, a 250 megawatt enlargement of the current Barapukuria Coal Power Plant.

Limestone

A limestone quarry of Eocene age with a minor reserve at Takerghat in the northeastern section of the nation began providing raw materials to a cement mill in the early 1960s.

This was the country's first mine that was also a quarry. Near the 1960s, GSB identified a 100 million ton limestone deposit in Joypurhat at a depth of roughly 515-541 meters below the surface. The GSB's search for limestone deposits at shallow depths continues. In the mid-1990s, GSB identified limestone deposits in Jahanpur and Paranagar in Naogaon, respectively, at depths of 493-508 and 531-548 meters below the surface. These deposits are 16.76m and 14.32m thick, respectively.

Hard Rock

Construction materials are in short supply in Bangladesh. GSB identified a massive deposit of Precambrian granodiorite, quartz diorite, and gneiss near Maddhyapara, Dinajpur, at depths ranging from 132 to 160 meters below the surface. Fresh rock has a Rock Quality Designation (RQD) that ranges from 60% to 100%. Nam Nam Co, a North Korean firm, is working on the development of this underground hard rock mine. After missing multiple deadlines over the course of a decade, Maddhyapara Granite Mining Company Limited (MGMCL) eventually entered into production on the 25th of March 2007.

Up to April 2007, a total of 459,283.98 metric tons (392030.78 M) of hard rock has been mined. A large amount of hard rock has already been sold to several organizations. These rocks are used to create apartments, commercial buildings, roads and highways, bridges, dams, river dykes, embankments, flood control, railway ballast and sleepers, decorating pieces, and tiles, among other things.

Peat

Peat deposits may be found in the marshy portions of Bangladesh's north-eastern, central, and south-western regions, with a total reserve of about 170 million tons. Peat has a calorific value of 6000 to 7000 BTU/lb. Peat may be used as a fuel for cooking, making bricks, and heating boilers, among other things. Their exploitation, however, has not yet begun.

Metallic minerals

The GSB has conducted mineral deposit exploration and has identified a few prospective zones. Metallic minerals such as chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite, covelline, galena, sphalerite, and others have been identified in abundance in core samples from the country's northwestern area.

Construction sand

It may be found in abundance in riverbeds all around the nation. Sand is generally made up of medium to coarse quartz grains. It is widely employed in the construction of buildings, bridges, and highways across the nation.

Gravel

Gravel deposits may be found in the piedmont sections of the Himalayas near Bangladesh's northern borders. During the wet season, these river-borne gravels originate from upstream. The gravel resources have a total reserve of around 10 million cubic meters. Gravel deposits are mined and utilized across the nation.

Glass sand

In or near the surface, there are significant quantities of glass sand at Balijuri (0.64 million ton), Shahjibazar (1.41 million ton), and Chauddagram (0.285 million ton), as well as below the surface at Maddhyapara (17.25 million ton) and Barapukuria (90.0 million ton). Glass sands are made up of fine to medium quartz that ranges from yellow to grey in color.

White Clay

Bijoypur and Gopalpur in Netrokona district, Nalitabari in Sherpur district, Haidgaon in Chittagong district, and Baitul Izzat in Satkania upazila in Chittagong district all have surface to near-surface deposits of white clay. At addition, subsurface deposits of white clay' may be found in Maddhyapara, Barapukuria, Dighipara, and Patnitala in the Dinajpur district and Patnitala in the Naogaon district. The quality of the exposed white clay is poor. After being mixed with high-quality foreign clay, it is utilized in Bangladeshi pottery industries.

Beach sand

Beach sand deposits have been discovered in Bangladesh's coastal belt and coastal islands. Zircon (158,117), Rutile (70,274), Ilmenite (1,025,558), Leucoxene (96,709), Kyanite (90,745), Garnet (222,761), Magnetite (80,599), and Monazite are the different heavy minerals with their reserves (in ton) (17,352). An Australian business has filed for authorization to conduct an exploitation feasibility assessment. 

Brick Clay

The mineralogical, chemical, and technical features of Pleistocene and Holocene brick clays from Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Narsingdi districts in Bangladesh have been extensively described. The bulk chemistry and technical features of Holocene and Pleistocene materials were found to be suitable for the production of high-quality bricks. These are frequently utilized and exploited throughout the nation. [Sifatul Quader Chowdhury and AKM Khorshed Alam]

Mines

Mining is the extraction of coal, ores, precious stones, hardrock, and other materials from mines. Mining began in undivided Bengal in 1774 in the Raniganj coalfield in West Bengal, India. The Indian coalfields of Jharia, Bokrao, and Karanpura were then mined. Between 1857 and 1957, a number of geologists voiced the optimism that coalmines would be discovered under Bangladesh's green cultivated land. Despite this, the then-East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) was overlooked when it came to mineral prospecting. However, the geologists' wishes were realized in 1959, when STANVAC bore a hole in the Bogra area in search of oil, and Gondwana coal was discovered at a depth of 2381 meters from the surface. In 1985, a coalfield was found in the Dinajpur area of Barapukuria. In 1989, further coalfields were found in Khalaspir (Rangpur district), Dighipara (Dinajpur district), and Phulbari (Rangpur district) in the same district. In 1974-75, a massive deposit of Precambrian granodiorite, quartz diorite, and gneiss was found in Maddhyapara, Dinajpur, at depths ranging from 132 to 160 meters below the surface.

Mine hazard 

Regardless of the mining process used, certain disruptions to the mine site and surrounding ecosystem are unavoidable. Water pollution and mine drainage control, sedimentation in watercourses, noise pollution, ground vibration, air pollution, socio-economic disturbances, loss of agricultural land, the danger of land subsidence, hazards of mine fire, dust problems, and human discomfort are all safety and environmental concerns for mines under construction in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has a long history of large-scale mineral mining employing contemporary technology and management. Although there are technical requirements for mine planning and hazard assessment, there are few standard rules in small-scale sand, beach sand, glass sand, white clay, gravel, and soil mining, both in terms of mine safety and environmental protection.

Water from both the Barapukuria and Maddhyapara mines is released untreated into the adjacent rice fields and watercourses. This method poses a severe environmental danger since mine water is often acidic and includes a lot of sediments, which pollute surface water and land. Sulphuric acid is formed when pyrite and other sulphide minerals are present in dirty mine water. Silica and aluminum oxide, which are soluble in mine water, are found in coal ash. Mine water may also include dissolved metals like iron and manganese, suspended particles, some oil, and ammonia, which is commonly a byproduct of the usage of ammonium nitrate-based explosives. Because plant life is very sensitive to sulphur dioxide, even at low concentrations, high concentrations of mine pollution may cause significant ecological difficulties. To preserve the water useful for drinking, irrigation, fisheries, industrial, and recreational reasons, the standard pH concentration of surface water should not exceed 6.5-8.5, according to Bangladesh Environmental Quality Control. As a result, before indiscriminately discharging mine water, baseline data from the area is required to determine the tolerance level of ambient water bodies around the mines.

On April 5, 1998, the Barapukuria Coal Mine suffered a serious setback due to a rapid water inrush of 600-800 cubic meters per hour. The catastrophe occurred shortly after a blasting operation was completed to create an underground highway. A major section of roof rock crumbled as a consequence of a massive inrush of water from the top strata, which the Chinese contractor working on mine construction at Barapukuria couldn't handle with the existing support. After the disaster, the mine was flooded for many months before extra high-capacity pumps were sent to drain out the massive amounts of water that had collected in the mine. To preserve the mine from being flooded further, the Barapukuria mine has been pumping out water from underground at a rate of 350-450 cu m/hour. Following the accident, no subterranean work could be done. Due to the catastrophe, the administration was forced to start rebuilding the mine plan after completing 35 percent of mine construction activities and about 3 km of underground highways of the intended 12 km for Barapukuria mine. The restructuring of the mine may cause considerable delays in the completion of mine building projects, as well as a reduction in the recoverable resource area and, as a result, an increase in the mine's coal production costs. Once the mine construction is done, it is estimated that 1200-1800 cu m of water per hour will be released from Barapukuria, necessitating the continuation of the pumping operation.

Coal mines are plagued by dust and mine gases. Fortunately, the gas concentration of Barapukuria coal is low, hence the risk of methane emissions and other gas-related dangers during coal mining is low. Because the coal will be mined mechanically at Barapukuria, massive coal dusts would be formed, however with suitable mitigation measures in place, coal dust may be managed. Due to frequent movements of heavy trucks and essential loading and unloading activities, massive dust would be created in the Barapukuria and Maddhyapara mining regions. Air pollution from mines is a significant source of concern. The gases produced by the burning of coal, gasoline, and lubricants in the mine contaminate the air both above and below ground. Dusts formed from coal and hard rocks, particularly during mining operations such as cutting, blasting, crashing, and transporting, are often a source of worry for workers and the surrounding communities.

The spontaneous combustion potential of Barapukuria coal is categorized as medium risk.' Coal spontaneous combustion is a voluntary process in which coal reacts with oxygen in the air to create heat and light, as well as poisonous gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and vapors. If such spontaneous combustion occurs in the Barapukuria mine, it might pose a major threat to the mine's overall safety and the environment.

The present mining process for Barapukuria was designed to extract coal from a 36-meter thick coal seam VI. It's unclear how the vacant areas under the surface will be protected against sinking. The existence of more than 100 meters of unconsolidated Tertiary sandy aquifers (Dupi Tila) above the coal seams might pose subsidence issues if significant empty zones remain unfilled. Surface subsidence may occur as a result of the extraction of water, minerals, or natural gas from the ground, as well as the removal of a deep-lying mineral body, which can result in subsidence across a larger region. If big gaps are left in the mine during the coal mining operation at Barapukuria without stowing, this may create uncontrolled land subsidence and environmental calamity in the nearby regions.

In both the Barapukuria and Maddhyapara mines, large amounts of explosives are being used for highway headings and underground development work, causing severe vibration in the mine and surrounding communities. The Maddhyapara Hardrock Mine would employ 2,670 kg of explosives to provide a production rate of 5,500 tons per day. The mine's regular blasting activities may cause damage to existing buildings on the surface near the mining region. Heavy vehicles, bulldozers, dump trucks, and other equipment will produce persistent noise issues in mine sites, in addition to the noise and vibration caused by explosives and blasting activities.

Both the Barapukuria and Maddhyapara mines are required to complete Environmental Impact Studies since all mining operations are classified as 'Red Category' enterprises under the Environmental Conservation Rules of 1997. As a result, both mining authorities must create an Environmental Impact Study Report, an Environmental Management Plan, a Waste Disposal Plan, and other documentation in order to gain environmental clearance from Bangladesh's Department of Environment. At the same time, the mining authority must establish frequent water, air, and soil quality controls in the affected regions. [Mushfiqur Rahman] [Mushfiqur Rahman] [Mushfiqur

Minerals for Industry

In 2010, there were 34 cement firms operating in Bangladesh, producing around 18.5 million Mt of cement. Because of the government's plans to improve the country's infrastructure, domestic demand for cement is increasing.

According to the Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association, the nation shipped about 14,000 Mt of cement per month to India in 2010. In the same year, the Bashundhara Group announced intentions to establish two cement production facilities by early 2012, with a capacity of roughly 12,000 Mt/d, to meet local demand.

Maddhapara Granite, a Petrobangla subsidiary, produced granite in an underground mine in the Dinajpur District in 2010. The mine's hard rock capacity was at 1.65 million tons per year.

Fossil Fuels

In 2010, the Barapukuria coal mine was Bangladesh's sole active coal mine. It is run by Barapukuria Coal Mining Co. Ltd. (BCMCL), a Petrobangla subsidiary. In 2009, the mine's total output was anticipated to be 857,000 t.

Asia Energy, a subsidiary of Global Coal Management Resources (GCM) of the United Kingdom, was waiting for a government license to construct the Phulbari coal mine in 2010. The business wants to establish a mine in three years after obtaining the license, utilizing an open cut mining technology to extract coal. According to experts, the Phulbari coal project might be the solution to the country's power shortfall.

In 2010, Petrobangla was engaging in extensive exploration and drilling activities aimed at increasing gas reserves. As of 2009, proved recoverable gas reserves were estimated to be over 188.6 billion m3. Bangladesh generated around 20,500 million m3 of gas each year. It did, however, confront a gas shortfall of roughly 4,125 million m3/yr.

Chevron Corp. of the United States presented a proposal to Petrobangla to claim a stake in developing gas Block 7 alongside GS Caltex of the Republic of Korea. The first Korean business to do hydrocarbon exploration activities in Bangladesh was GS Caltex.

In 2010, the Bangladeshi Beximco Group and Saudi Arabia's Marasel Company Ltd. were interested in sponsoring Eastern Refinery Ltd.'s expansion project, which would boost the refinery's petroleum output to 4.5 Mt/yr from 1.5 Mt/yr.

Investment

Earlier this year, a group of UN independent human rights experts requested that the government deny permission for the open-pit mine at the Phulbari coal project, claiming that it would displace thousands of people, destroy nearly 12,000 hectares of productive agricultural land, and devastate the environment. According to recent reports, a team of experts presented a report to the energy and natural resources ministry this month allowing open-pit mining in the Phulbari coal deposit.

Bangladesh's government is attempting to improve the country's infrastructure in order to make it a more appealing investment destination. Bangladesh has been forming relationships with its bordering nations to supply the local need for raw resources to assist improve the country's infrastructure. It has also attempted to settle maritime border conflicts with Burma and India.

Bangladesh's mining industry will play a larger part in the country's economy if the government's reform plans are accomplished.

Best Regards

MAHABU HASAN SAJIB