New finding of coal in western escarpment of Mainpat plateau, Surguja district, Chhattisgarh

The Mainpat plateau (N22°41′00″ to 22°55′ 00″ and E 83°08′00″ to 83°25′00″) is a table-land, rising >400 m above foothills, consisting of Archaean rocks (granite-gneisses, phyllite etc), Gondwana formations and Deccan basalt. Archaean rocks occur at the foot hills of Mainpat and Gondwana formations are exposed in the western escarpment of Mainpat plateau in turn overlain by the basaltic rock of Deccan Traps at the top. Barakar Formation contains coal seams from few cm to ~9 m are exposed near Chitaghutri, Kodwari, Tirkela, Tekta etc. villages of Lakhanpur tehsil of Surguja district, covered in Survey of India, Toposheet 64 N/1. Coal present in the area contains high volatile matters and high ash in the different seams in different localities. Analysis shows that coal of this area ranges between C and E grade with useful heat value varying from 3461 to 5223 K Cal/kg. This recently discovered area is located between Hasdo–Arand and Mand-Raigarh coalfields. Coal bearing horizon seems to be persistent, beneath the Deccan Traps.