October 13, 2011: In order to ensure greater availability of coal for the power sector, the ministry of coal has decided that Coal India Ltd (CIL) will offer some of the coal meant for sale through e-auction to the power sector during the current month of October, a ministry official said on October 13.

October 13, 2011: In order to ensure greater availability of coal for power sector, the Ministry of coal has decided that Coal India Ltd (CIL) will offer some of the meant for sale through e -auction to power sector during the current month (October), a ministry official said on October 13.

Sept 13: As part of its efforts to curb illegal transportation of minerals, the state government has decided to verify the loading figures of mineral ores at different ports within the state and outside.

Sept 13: Russian miner VO Zarubezhugol has invited lender IL&FS to join its talks with International Coal Venture Ltd (ICVL) to sell majority stake in a coking coal mine in Kuzbass province.

Sept 13: Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) said it plans to set up a 4,000-MW thermal power project in Tamil Nadu, with an investment of around Rs 20,000 crore.

Sept 13: The power ministry will have to defer planned initial bids for the upcoming ultra-mega power project (UMPP) in Tamil Nadu, as it does not meet all requirements under the new norms for prevention of coastal degradation.

Sept 8: Coal India is running 191 mines without any environmental clearance, the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) said in a report on the company, which says delays in green clearances has severely hit its output.

Sept 7: State-run Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) plans to invest Rs 40,200 crore to build power plants in Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Sept 7: State-run power producer NTPC will set up a 500-Mw coal-based power plant in Sri Lanka by 2016, which will mark its foray into the overseas market.

Sept 7: State-run NALCO, which plans to set up a 1250-MW power project and an aluminium smelter in Indonesia, will complete due diligence on a proposal for sourcing coal for the projects by the end of this month, a senior company official said.

Sept 5: Coal India is considering switching to a global open-tender mode for developing its abandoned mines, a development that could inordinately delay the project.

Sept 2: South Africa's first black billionaire, mining magnate Patrice Motsepe, is in talks with Ratan Tata for ventures in financial services in India and minerals in his country, where the Tata Group is already one of the biggest foreign investors.

August 30, 2011: The coal ministry has received applications for long-term coal linkage from central and state utilities, independent power producers (IPPs) and captive power producers (CPPs) for 974 power projects with a generation capacity of over 5.96 lakh Mw, as on July 31.

August 30, 2011: Coal India is gearing up for around Rs 42,000-crore investment in the next few years as its projects, stuck under environment norms, start getting clearances.

August 30, 2011: A cut in production by steel producers and higher purchases of coking coal by large countries, from Mongolia, has led to a softening of benchmark coal prices from the traditional coal producing country, Australia.

August 30, 2011: GVK Power and Infrastructure, which will acquire two coal mines from Australia's Hancock Prospecting for about $2.2 billion, may fund the acquisition by raising debt without much strain on key financial parameters as the Hyderabad-based company's leverage is comfortably below industry peers.

August 24, 2011: Big power project developers won't have to wait for a formal 'mega' tag for availing the duty exemption they are entitled to on imports of power equipment.

August 24: Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Ltd (IMFA) is planning to spend Rs 6,600 crore over the next five years to set up a 1320-MW power plant in Orissa.

August 22: In order to ensure that Rs 6000 crore earmarked for acquiring mines by Coal India abroad does not remain unutilised, a Parliamentary Panel has asked the coal ministry to fast-track the acquisition process.

Aug 22: The union coal ministry has allowed the blue chip National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) to mine a coal block in Orissa.