The story
The Raniganj coalfield was India's first commercially mined coalfield, opened in the 18th century, and it fed Calcutta's industries and railways. After Independence, steel plants at Burnpur and Durgapur and many engineering and refractory units grew around the coal. Eastern Coalfields runs most mines, and coal-bed methane is now being tapped.
In numbers
Coal accounts for 99% of extracted minerals in West Bengal, which has 11% of the total national coal reserves.
Mining industry — Industry sectors, Government of West Bengal · 2015In 2015 the state's total coal reserves/resources were estimated at 31.43 billion tonnes, with Raniganj among the major coalfields.
Mining industry — Industry sectors, Government of West Bengal · 2015
Ways in for a newcomer
- Mining contracts: overburden removal, transport and loading
- Supply spares, conveyor belts and safety gear to mines and steel plants
- Fly-ash brick units near power plants
- Refractory bricks for steel plants
Problems the cluster faces
- Land subsidence and underground fires
- Illegal mining
- Pollution and health issues
- Dependence on a few large public-sector buyers
Businesses to start here
Fly Ash Bricks Unit →Fire Clay Refractory Bricks and Blocks →Metallurgical Coke Unit (Small Coke Ovens) →Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing →Stone Crusher (Aggregates) →