Uzbekistan, Tashkent, October 21 / Trend, D. Azizov /
Uzbekistan increased coal production by 28.7 percent up to 3.102 million tons in January-September 2013 compared to the same period of last year, a representative of JSC Uzbekugol told Trend.
According to the source, brown coal production in the country increased by 1.3 per cent - up to 3.08 million tons, coal production decreased by the same amount up to 22,000 tons.
In accordance with the target parameters of Coal industry development programme for 2013-2018, coal production in Uzbekistan must reach 8.1 million tons by 2019 compared to 4 million tons expected by 2013 (3.752 million tons of coal was produced in the country in 2012).
Currently, explored coal reserves in Uzbekistan amounts to about 2 billion tons, including brown coal - 1.9 billion tons, while coal - 46.3 million tons. Coal mining is conducted in three fields, Angren brown coal deposit, Shargun and Baisun deposits.
The Angren coal field is the largest in Uzbekistan, with explored coal reserves of 1.9 billion tons. The Angren and Apartak sections where production is carried out openly are operating here.
The main consumer of coal enterprises in the country are the thermal power plants of Uzbekenergo SJSC, which operate on solid fuel. More than 85 per cent of total coal consumption in the country fall to them.