Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) has restarted operations at Tadkeshwar lignite mines in south Gujarat. The mine is estimated to have  reserves which will last for seven more years.

In February 2022, the company received clearance from the Union Environment Ministry to mine lignite up to 135 mtrs. from the earlier permitted depth of 94 mtrs. at Tadkeshwar. Lignite dispatch is expected to commence from Tadkeshwar from January 2024.

The work of earth removal has been completed and mining operations have begun from November. This is expected to have a positive impact on our lignite production during the last quarter of the financial year. GMDC, which  is one of the largest producers of lignite in the country, plans to develop six new lignite mines with reserves close to 400 million tonne.

After the mine was closed, the supply was being managed from mines in Bhavnagar districts which increased the transportation costs. However, GMDC is planning to develop a new mine at Ghala which is closer to the Tadkeshwar mine.

Tadkeshwar is an open cast lignite mine in Surat district which was commissioned in 2003-04. It is a crucial mine for GMDC which has a number of lignite customers in the industrial belt in Bharuch and Surat districts in the state. The landslides had brought mining activities to a complete halt due to issues caused by landslides, disrupting the mining process.