Validation survey of coal mining to assess and evaluate resources of Trans-Indus Range by the third party to estimate the supply sufficiency for the planned coal-based power plants for next thirty years.

Directorate General Mines and Minerals has also engaged a German Consultant (SST-Fugro) consortium for third party validation of the coal mining survey data collected by the department.

The study would cover a mining lease based coal and/or coaly shales/high carbonaceous shales available resource estimation and verify coal mines data using existed and generate new data of mines in the Salt Range and Surghar (Trans-Indus) Range said the officials.

These study estimates total coal resources in the Salt Range and Surghar Range and its potential to install coal-based power plants on indigenous coal resources would be figured out.

Pakistan is rich in industrial rocks, metallic and non-metallic which are not evaluated so far. The mineral wealth of Pakistan contributes insufficiently to its GDP. Outdated techniques that is capital and antique techniques and the outdated management along with law & order situation in the areas with rich assets of the mineral are responsible for negligence towards less knowledge for minerals.

The Mining and Quarrying sector of the country grew by 1.34 % as per statistics during 2016-17.

Punjab is second largest province endeavors for the promotion of mining.

Punjab’s government is motivated for mineral exploration projects aimed at developing mineral sector to rising GDP.

The achievements made by government of Punjab included Geophysical Survey of Sub Surface Pre-Cambrian Shield Rocks for Metallic Mineral Deposits Iron ore and metallic mineral resource estimation in Chiniot-Rajoa project which led mines and minerals department to undertake geophysical survey of areas where shield rocks are submerged including in districts Chiniot, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, Hafizabad etc.

The Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) has completed the work including a semi-detailed magnetic survey on 28 topo sheets that cover 18000 sq.km area. The total magnetic survey data recorded by using Proton Precession Magnetometer, Geometric G856AX, and prepared 2D contour maps using surfur-11 after applying required corrections.

The sources told that 32 out of the ordinary zones discovered and 3 were selected for integrated geophysical surveys.

The 3 selected sites Wad Sayyiadan, Ghutti Sayyiadan and Chak Jhumra are completed for Gravity, Magnetic and IP surveys.

Further evaluation and resource estimation of metallic minerals in Punjab is a separate project.

Mianwali district mineral resources of limestone, Silica Sand, Fireclay, Gypsum, Rock Salt are ready for installation of industrial units of cement, glass, ceramic and chemical. The CPEC route cross Daud Khel-Kalabagh of District Mianwali bringing the industrial zone near and making it ideal for Daud-Khel Interchange of CPEC route. The industrial department has declared the SEZ as per their own SOPs.