Coal India (CIL) state owned company is going to develop 18 abandoned mines.

With a view to bridged the gap between demand supply CIL is planning to start mining form 18 abandoned mines that has estimated reserve of 1.6 billion tonnes, by the next year. Company has identified 18 such blocks where the total coal reserves as per estimates is 1.6 billion tonnes, so, company is considering a Joint venture kind of structure by 2010, Coal India Chairman Partha S Bharttacharya said.