PAKISTAN

Proved recoverable reserves (total coal, million tonnes) 2 265
Production (total coal, million tonnes, 1999) 3.3

The republic’s coal resources appear to be substantial: The Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) gives measured resources as 3 775 million tonnes, with indicated resources of a further 12 124 million tonnes, inferred resources of 87 366 and hypothetical resources as 81 391 million tonnes, as at June 30, 1999. The Pakistan WEC Member Committee considers that 60% of the measured resources should be regarded as proved recoverable reserves.

The discovery of a huge coalfield in the Thar Desert of eastern Sindh province transformed the country’s coal resources and Thar now contributes 84% of the measured reserves. Under the auspices of an USAID programme which began in 1985, the field was located in the 1980’s; in the early 1990’s a drilling programme largely confirmed its extent.

Since issuing the end-June 1997 data quoted in the 1998 WEC Survey, the GSP has re-assessed the allocation of the Thar coal field’s resource base, increasing its measured resources by 36%, indicated resources by 61% and inferred resources by 30%; overall some 24 billion tonnes have been transferred out of the "hypothetical" category, whilst maintaining the level of total resources.

Notwithstanding its massive potential, Pakistan’s coal production in recent years has been only about 3-3.5 million tonnes per annum. About half is currently produced in the western province of Balochistan; no Thar coal is produced at present.

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.

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