Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Coal Country Notes

Pakistan

Proved amount in place (total coal, million tonnes)	3 303
Proved recoverable reserves (total coal, million tonnes)	1 982
Production (total coal, million tonnes, 2005)	4.6

At the request of the Pakistan WEC Member Committee, the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) has provided details of coal resources and reserves as at 30 June 2005 (detailed data on reserves/resources 'as on June 30, 2006' issued by the GSP are unchanged from the year before). The total resource is put at more than 186 billion tonnes, within which 'measured reserves' are 3.3 billion tonnes, 'indicated reserves' about 12 billion tonnes, 'inferred reserves' 56 billion and 'hypothetical resources' 114 billion. Clearly a high proportion of the quoted total resource has, at this point in time, a relatively low degree of geological assurance, being comprised of inferred reserves (lying within a radius of 1.2 to 4.8 km from a point of coal measurement) and hypothetical resources (undiscovered coal, generally an extension of inferred reserves in which coal lies more than 4.8 km from a point of measurement). A recovery factor of 0.6 has been applied to the measured reserves, resulting in estimated recoverable amounts (in million tonnes) of 1 bituminous, 167 sub-bituminous and 1 814 lignite.

The WEC Member Committee reports that the bulk (around 98%) of Pakistan's huge coal resource is found in Sindh Province, in particular the Thar coalfield. The economic coal deposits of Pakistan are restricted to Palaeocene and Eocene rock sequences only.

The coals of Pakistan are high in sulphur and ash contents. The moisture percentage is also high in Sindh coal, especially in the Thar coal. The rank of Pakistani coals ranges from lignite to high-volatile bituminous. The demonstrated Thar coalfield has the largest resources (over 175 billion tonnes) and out of that about 12 billion tonnes are 'demonstrated reserves' (2.7 billion 'measured' and about 9.3 billion 'indicated'). The documented production of coal is 4.59 million tonnes for the year 2005.

Small tonnages of indigenous coal are used for electricity generation and by households, but by far the largest portion is used to fire brick kilns. Just over 1 million tonnes of Australian coking coal is imported each year for use in the iron and steel industry.