State miner Coal India has approved as many as 32 new coal mining projects worth a total investment of US$6.4 billion, as one of the world’s largest coal consumers looks to reduce reliance on imports as its coal demand continues to grow. A total of 24 of the 32 projects will be for the expansion of existing operations, while eight will be greenfield projects, Indian media quoted the company as saying this week. The combined incremental peak capacity of these projects is expected at 193 million tons per year, which is a record capacity addition for Coal India in its history. While major developed economies look to reduce reliance on coal as part of emission reduction goals, India, which will be the key driver of global energy demand in the coming decades, continues to rely heavily on coal, and its demand is expected to continue to rise. Despite its […]