The Coal Ministry has said that two of the world’s five largest Coal Mines are now in India. These mines, operated by Chhattisgarh-based Coal India subsidiary South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), namely Gevra and Kusmunda, rank second and fourth respectively among the world’s largest coal mines. The list was released by WorldAtlas.com. 

Together, the Gevra and Kusmunda mines produce over 100 million tons of coal annually, constituting approximately ten per cent of India’s total coal production. The Gevra opencast mine, which began operations in 1981, boasts an annual production capacity of 70 million tons and achieved an output of 59 million tons in the fiscal year 2023-24. It holds sufficient coal reserves to meet the country’s energy needs for the next decade. Meanwhile, the Kusmunda mine contributed more than 50 million tons of coal to the production total in 2023-24.