India allocates 19 mines for disposal of fly ash from thermal plants

Authorities also said 20.39 lakh tonnes of fly ash have been repurposed.

The Ministry of Coal has designated 19 coal mines for the proper disposal of fly ash generated by thermal power plants (TPP), thereby repurposing the waste whilst also reducing carbon footprint.

The Indian government said the 19 mines have been allocated to 13 thermal facilities, helping address “concerns associated with fly ash disposal and promote sustainable practices within the coal mining sector.”

According to the ministry, fly ash is ash generated such as electrostatic precipitator (ESP) ash, dry fly ash, bottom ash, pond ash and mound ash. It is composed of silicon dioxide, calcium oxide, and aluminium oxide, making it valuable for various applications.

Studies have shown that this can be used for construction and for filling voids, thus reducing waste that could be harmful for the environment. Approximately 20.39 lakh tonnes of fly ash have been repurposed to date at Gorbicoal mine pit-1, the ministry said. 

The coal ministry said it is working with the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute to create a centralised portal to manage the application process for the allocation of mine voids to TPPs for fly ash backfilling activities. 

Authorities are also looking into methods for mixing fly ash with overburden in operational mines. A study is underway at the Nigahi operational mine in collaboration with the Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research that aims to determine the optimal percentage of fly ash to be mixed with overburden, with results expected soon, the ministry said.