Engineering Post Report
The province of Sindh has large quantities of minerals. In all, there are 24 minerals which are being mined presently.
Among these, Sindh has large quantities of coal and granite reserves. The granite area which was inaccessible has since been connected with Karachi by a network of roads and other facilities like rest houses etc.
Establishment of a Granite Park is also proposed at Nagarparkar. Karunjhar range of mountains in Nagarparkar has huge reserves of granite and other rock types of extractable thickness which has the potential to compete the international market. It spreads over vast area and its estimated reserves are around 10 billion tons.
The Directorate of Mines and Mineral Development Sindh is sponsoring a scheme for study through consultant “ Feasibility Study of Granite Deposits in Tharparkar, Sindh”.
Previously leases were granted in haphazard manner without any policy. The department has now constituted a policy for judicious and transparent award of leases in this area.
It will be ensured that 03 large granite factories are set up by year 2030 in this remote area. This will not only generate large employment opportunities for poor and downtrodden masses of this far-flung area but will also get world-class granite for locan consumption and export with the result that poverty ratio will be decreased and increase in growth rate of government revenue will also take major part for economic development of the province.
Sindh has large coal reserves of the country. It is estimated around 185 billon tons of coal in Lakhra, East of Indus and Thar. Presently percentage of coal in energy is negligible. The department is in the process of assessment and exploitation studies of these coal reserves and intends to set up projects running on this coal. Department also intends to have 30 per cent energy produce on coal by year 2030.
The Mines and Mineral Development Department has already established Geo-Data Centre with official web portal which is providing all the necessary information to the general public as well as investors/stake holders. This carries with mineral based information and online granted leases database along with provision of information regarding the granted areas in the Sindh.
