Barapukuria: Authorities have launched a new phase of extraction at Barapukuria Coal Mine in this north-western region, expecting to dig out 3.94 lakh tonnes of hydrocarbon from the quarry in the next year. The announcement was made as the state-run Barapukuria Coal Mining Company’s (BCMCL) managing director, M Abu Taleb Farazi, addressed reporters at the site.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the extraction works were re-launched in full swing from midday Sunday, following a trial run on Saturday. The BCMCL officials stated that the new extraction phase was launched after installing and readjusting machinery and equipment, as the stockpile of previously extracted coals was exhausted.
The mine officials reported that 5.10 lakh tonnes of coal were extracted from the old phase from January to June this year. BCMCL’s general manager for operations, Engineer Khan M Zafar Sadiq, mentioned the plan to initially extract 1,500 to 2,000 tonnes of coal per day, with the volume expected to increase to 3,500 tonnes.
The mine serves as the source of fuel for the adjacent Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant, which is used for electricity production.