Japan Coal Energy Center

For Japan, which depends on foreign imports for the majority of its coal supply, the evaluation and development of overseas coal resources, as well as the collection of related data, are important issues for securing stable imports. JCOAL is working to upgrade the technology used to carry out geological surveys, coal exploration, and evaluations of the potential of foreign coal resources, as well as improving the technology to evaluate development and import schemes, in order to provide information that meets the needs of our members, developers, suppliers, and users.

(1)Projects to Find Coal Resources

1) Bunian-Kungkilan Coal Exploration Project
Geological exploration, including mapping, drilling, seismic reflection survey and geophysical logging, etc. was carried out to interpret geological structure and evaluate coal reserves and make the preliminary mining plan in Bunian-Kungkilan areas in South Sumatra Province, Indonesia.

2) Evaluation of Coal Reserves and Resources in Indonesia Project
The database to analyze and evaluate coal reserves and resources in South Sumatra area, in Indonesia is being built.

3) Quang Ninh Coal Exploration Project
The coal survey and exploration and preliminary mining and utilization plan are being carried out in the deeper levels of the Quang Ninh coal basin, Viet Nam.

4) New Geophysical Exploration Technology Development Project
The development of high efficient and high accurate coal resources exploration technology for supplying data to the evaluation system based on the coal mine development and production plan, targeting coal seams in the shallower zone of subsurface in land area, where coal mining advances from open pit to underground, was carried out.

(2)Coal Production Technology

Based on skills fostered in Japan, we are developing mining technology that meets the conditions of nature and the mine found particular to each overseas site in order to provide a stable supply of coal, while also dealing with various technological problems, such as the deterioration in the natural conditions caused by shifting to underground and deep mining which accompanies the increase in coal production in the Asia-Pacific region. We are endeavoring to spread these technologies through experimental projects overseas.

Project to Collect and Exchange Technical Information Regarding Coal Production

In this project we are collecting and collating technical information on coal production in Japan and overseas as well as strengthening our foreign ties. We are collecting data on the potential of coal resources, trends in the development of production technology, and the coal situation overseas. By disseminating advanced Japanese technology and acquiring information on the amount of coal in each country we aim to form base for our activities that leads to securing a stable supply of foreign coal.
With regard to production technology that matches the various mining conditions in each country, in Indonesia we are involved in a joint project to develop shaft transportation technology, coal cleaning technology and technology to improve the quality of low-grade coal to ensure a fixed quality. Furthermore, in Vietnam we are carrying out a joint research project into mining technology for medium to severely inclined coal faces.

(3)Safety Technology

Demands are increasing from overseas coal producing countries for joint research and technical cooperation regarding mine safety in Japan. JCOAL is carrying out several projects according to the following key points based on our Long-range Plan to Develop and Transfer Safety Technology.

1) Safety Technology Project
By applying the advanced safety technology so far developed in Japan to model mines in developing coal-producing countries, we aim to improve safety, stabilize production, and reduce the number of disasters.

2) Joint Research Project into Safety Technology
We are developing advanced safety technology through joint research with developed coal-producing countries and technical development in Japan, and with the aim of contributing to a further improvement in the levels of safety in each coal producing country, both developed and developing.

Roof Structure Surveillance System and Rock Fall Prevention Technology
We are developing a system that warns of and prevents cave-ins by measuring the natural vibration frequency of the bedrock, and a system that, using a method already developed, automatically gathers and analyzes data such as the torque when drilling holes for the rock bolts to give a 3-D display of changes in the rock type and fissure distribution in the mine roof.