Large pit coal deposit detected

A massive peat coal deposit has been found at Chatla Beel in Hakaluki Haor of Moulvibazar, according to officials of the Geological Survey of Bangladesh.

The deposit could be as big as the country’s largest peat coal reserve of 150 million tonnes at Baggie Chanda in Gopalganj, they said referring to an on-going survey of Chatla Beel.

“Chatla Beel has a very big deposit. But we cannot say for sure whether it is bigger than the Gopalganj coal reserve until the survey is completed next year,” said GSB Director (Geology) Nehal Uddin, who heads the survey project.

The reserve was originally discovered by a GSB team in 1984 through a survey of water bodies stretching over an area of 60 square kilometres. At that time, the team had estimated the peat coal reserve to be only 6.2 million tonnes on dry and 42 million tonnes wet peat in an area of 13 square kilometres, said Dr Nehal.

With renewed interest in finding minerals, the GSB undertook a Tk 5.96 crore project in June 2011 to accurately calculate the peat coal reserve there, among other works including purchase of equipment and field survey.

Two teams from the GSB started the survey in the area on January 25 last year.

GSB’s Additional Director Nazwanul Haque, who headed a survey team, told The Daily Star that they found layers of dry and wet peat coal up to a depth of 2.5 feet from the surface, drilling holes in an area of four to six square kilometres.

There is a layer of clay followed by a huge deposit of the mineral fathoming up to 30 feet, he said.

“The peat coal is about 7,000 years old, and its samples are being examined in laboratory to determine its chemical composition,” said Nazwanul, adding that the coal could be a substitute for gas.

Nehal Uddin also said two third of the area were yet to be surveyed, and two teams would be assigned to complete the remaining task in the current fiscal year.

“The teams will be able to prepare a final report by February or March next year.”

The GSB conducted surveys in different areas of Bijoynagar upazila in Brahmanbaria between December 2011 and March last year, and found reserves of around 13 million tonnes of peat coal.