Environmental Impact Assessment of the Thar, Sonda and Meting-Jhimpir Coalfields of Sindh

  The coal deposits explored so far in the Sindh province include Thar, Sonda, Metinge ihimpir and Lakhra coalfields. mar coalfield is the largest coalfield of Pakistan. It has estimated resources of 175 billion tonnes of coal. The Sonda coalfield is located in the deltaic area of lower Indus and is having the total resources of 280 million tones of coal. The Meting-Jhirrpir is the second oldest coalfield after Lakhra explored in the District Thatta in the Sindh province. It has about 161 million tonnes of coal resources. The representative coal samples from the Sindh coalfields, especially Thar, Sonda and Meting-Jhinpir coalfields, have been analyzed for the concentration of proximate and ultimate constituents, calorific values and heavy, trace and light elements by using various techniques. The sequential leaching behavior of these coals was also performed by using various solvents. The amount of fixed carbon, ash, hydrogen, carbon, arid n’trogen in the Sindh coals are within the permissible limit, however, the sulfur contents, especially in the Sonda and MetingJhimpir coals, are above the permissible limit The sequential leaching analyses suggest that most of the heavy and trace elements are associated with HCI-soluble compounds and also with the insoluble or organic shielded matters. However, iron is generally associated with the l-lNO3esoluble disulfides. The leaching behavior of the Sindh coal suggest that there are chances of contamination of the underground water system due to acid drain water during the large scale coal mining in the region. The combustion of Sindh coal may pose threat to the environment of the region as far as the S. Pb, Zn and Ni contents of the Sonda and Is4etingejhimpir coals are concerned. These coals, therefore, need to be cleaned and also the particulate emission level of the power generation plants should be substantially reduced before the use of these coals in the power generation plants and other industries of Pakistan.

I SIDDIQUI ,M T SHAH ,