Asia Energy wants to apply German open pit methodology in Phulbari coal mine project

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COLOGNE (Germany), Aug 6 (UNB): Asia Energy (Bangladesh) Corporation Ltd. wants to apply the same open pit methodology in its Phulbari coal mine project that was applied by Germany's RWE at a coal mine in Cologne.
RWE is one of Germany's largest energy and power company now producing 15 million tons of coal per year from its Hambach mine in Cologne and also generating 10,000 MW of power from its coal-fired plants.
The energy giant produces 30 per cent of total electricity of Germany and 20 per cent of brown coal.
The German company has been extracting coal from its Hambach mine in Cologne for the last more than 100 years with an annual production capacity of 40 million tonnes. The RWE is producing 1,30,000 tonnes per day.
The RWE has set a unique example in relocating and resettling the local habitants and also in protecting the environment.
Gary N Lye of Asia Energy told a group of Bangladeshi journalists visiting the RWE coal mine in Germany that his company planned to apply similar methodology in developing the Phulbari coal mine in Bangladesh.
Asia Energy submitted a development scheme after its feasibility study in Phulbari coal mine area, where it determined the mine's coal reserve to be 572 million tons. But the Bangladesh government is yet to approve the plan. The Asia Energy will produce 15 million tons per year.
The RWE developed a forest at its reclaimed area just alongside its coal mine.
The German company has to dig 350 metre deep into the ground to extract the coal through its gigantic Bucket-Wheel Excavators.
The coal will also be brought to an adjoining 2400-MW power plant direct from the mine through a huge conveyer belt.
Dr. Thomas Von, RWE's head of Geology and Hydrology, while briefing about the Hambach mine, told reporters that they had to relocate more than 30,000 people from the mine areas who had also been rehabilitated in other areas of their own choice.