Adani

By Lydia Lynch | Brisbane Times

Mining giant Adani says its central Queensland coal mine is still going ahead despite the Indian government signalling it would stop all thermal coal imports within four years.

India’s coal and mines minister Pralhad Joshi last month said the country would stop importing thermal coal 2023-24, local media reported.

Mr Joshi made the announcement during a two-day forum about the future of the coal industry and how state-run Coal India would ramp up domestic coal production to phase out imports, India’s Economic Times reported.

“All these ideas will be deliberated, studied and examined for their feasibility in detail and based on that, they shall be implemented,” a government statement said.

The Indian government has been trying to wean itself off imported coal for years, and an Adani spokeswoman said the announcement would not slow down construction on the controversial Carmichael mine in central Queensland.

She said Adani still plans to produce 10 million tonnes of coal from the Carmichael coal mine each year.

“As noted by the International Energy Agency, and other respected energy market researchers, there is continuing strong demand for thermal coal from countries in south and south-east Asia where nations are rapidly developing and people are determined to improve their quality of life by getting access to reliable, affordable electricity,” the spokeswoman said…Full Story