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Tuesday, 13 September 11
CAPITAL COSTS OF INDIAN COAL MINING PROJECT - AN ANALYST VIEW
.jpg) By Mr Dipesh Dipu, Director - Consulting (Mining), Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Private Limited
The coal mining sector that has been opened partially through captive mining route has seen allocation of 208 coal blocks to private sector, government-owned power generation and other downstream companies. These coal blocks, however, have had limited success in terms of operationalisation on time and at budgeted costs. These have led to serious concerns for coal supplies for power generation sector in India.
One of the key concerns for the development of the coal mines in India has been the quantum of capital required which is the determinant of expected returns from investment perspective and the viability of the project in terms of affordability of power so generated. The capital costs for coal mining projects typically include costs of land, capital equipment and infrastructure to support mining and logistics. Project costs also include capitalised expenses for clearances and approvals that help the mining project take off.
Elements of Capital Costs
Cost of land typically means the cost of acquiring surface rights for coal bearing land for which allocation has been made by the appropriate authority. The recent social concerns that have generated a lot of debate in the country centre on the cost of land which the companies are willing to pay for acquiring surface rights. The recent trends indicate that the land values head northwards since the time of announcement of a project, which makes it challenging to estimate the cost of land. In states that have vast coal resources, the land acquisition issues have been observed to be acute. In Talcher and IB Valley coalfields of Orissa, for example, there are a large number of coal blocks proposed with massive capacities. In these coalfields, it may therefore be expected that land costs will be relatively higher for the coal mining projects. Costs of mining equipment largely dominate the project costs, although due to higher costs of land acquisitions, its proportions are likely to be revised downward. The costs of equipment, typically, are functions of geological characteristics, technology, mine design and requirement of coal processing. Equipment costs also include costs of electricity supply features, drainage systems, environmental management systems, surveillance systems and several others. The costs of construction of coal handling plants and railway siding are parts of support systems for evacuation of coal and if the coal project is relatively farther from the nearest railhead, the costs will be higher. For pit-head power project, the costs include the conveying system from mine to the coal handling system of the power project.
Key Determinants of Capital Costs
Technology is a key determinant of capital cost. Underground coal mining and surface (or opencast) mining has different requirements. In the underground mining methods, there are variants such as bord and pillar, longwall, shortwall and variants for thick seam mining such as horizontal slicing and inclined slicing; sub-level caving and others. The accesses to coal seams are made either through inclines (surface drifts) or vertical shafts, each of which may have substantially different capital cost. In surface mining methods, equipment selection largely determines the project costs - shovel-dumper combinations, dragline, bucket wheel excavators are mostly used in India. The geo-technical parameters like dip and strike length, inclination of seams, thickness of overburden layer, and stripping ratio are indicators of specifications of equipment required, which, in turn, indicate the capital costs.
Equipment selection, therefore, is at the core of the determination of capital costs. In surface mining, the equipment selection takes into account the geological features such as partings between coal seams and expected bench heights. These impact the selection of size of shovels and matching dumper sizes. In such cases, the natural economies of scale need not work and hence, the capital costs per tonne of production versus capacity or size of excavators is a non-linear function.
Apart from the excavators and hauling equipment, capital cost of surface mines also depend on size and number of drilling machines, which, in turn, are dependent on the hardness of the rock. For blasting, the use of site mix slurries or site mix emulsion explosives can eliminate the need to maintain a magazine at mine project and thus, lower the capital costs. Relatively softer rock formation, such as those of lignite, the drilling blasting processes may be replaced by continuous mining system as bucket wheel excavator. Rock fragmentation and the requirement of crushing (including secondary crushing and sizing) will determine the additional equipment required that have a direct bearing on capital costs.
Hydrological characteristics of mine indicate the requirement of drainage and pump capacities. These may be significant where the water tables are high and may have large capital costs required to keep the working faces prevented from being inundated.
Estimates
According to estimates, investments needed in surface coal mining in India are in the range of INR 1500-2100 (approximately US$ 31.65 - 44.30) per tonne of rated capacity. For example, investment in a one million tonne per annum capacity mine is expected to be INR 210 crore (approximately US$ 44.295 million). This estimation is based on a stripping ratio of 4:1 and appropriate adjustments can be made for projects that have higher or lower stripping ratios. This, however, is as good as only an estimate and for the purpose of evaluations and investment decision making purposes, nothing can substitute a detailed plan, including equipment selection and fleet size determination.
For underground mining, the estimates are in the range of INR 1900-2800 (approximately US$ 40.07 - 59.05) per tonne of rated capacity. These are estimated for project that are shallow (within 150 meters depth) and are worked with semi-mechanized bord and pillar mining methods.
Business models change contribution to capital costs
At a high level, project costs remain more or less unchanged, irrespective of ownerships and financing pattern. However, for the project developers, the project costs are not nearly as significant parameters as are the equity investments and returns thereof. The business models now being contemplated and implemented substantially reduces the equity investment and causes the owner of the coal mine to focus on alternative investments such as, those in power generation capacity building. Contract mining is fast catching up in India as the preferred mode for development and operations of mines. The business model of hiring contract mining companies for overburden removal and even mineral winning is not a recent innovation. There are a number of new projects being planned through contract routes. Even the traditional mining companies like, the Coal India Limited and SCCL have been contracting out their mining operations. The scope of work in many cases involves the contract mining company to use their own equipment to carry on mining activities, which reduces the capital expenditure requirement of the coal mine owner.
In a total outsourcing model, the owners contract out all the processes including statutory approvals and clearances, land acquisition, mine development and operations. The recently floated tenders of a few state government owned power utilities are proponents of this model. The prospective bidders for the contract mining projects are expected to conduct their own geo-technical assessments, study the feasibilities and bid for the long term contract. The owner pays for all of these as the coal is mined and delivered to the owner. This model reduces the capital expenditure required by the owner for the coal mine development to nearly negligible.
Other business model is that of equipment leasing, which reduces the initial capital cost substituting the same by a more manageable lease rentals. The finance and operating types of leases help the mining project to have substantially lower cash outflows at the beginning of the project and help match the revenues with the costs when the mine starts the production of coal.
Capital Cost Management
Costs form a part of the decision-making process and cannot be used as a stand-alone decision-making tool. For this reason, there are several frameworks that can be used as a decision-making tool for surface and underground mining projects. These frameworks incorporate thinking obtained from viewing costs as a holistic entity. Strategic Cost Management (SCM) provides the thinking behind viewing costs as a strategic issue. Life Cycle Costing (LCC) suggests making use of the Net Present Value (NPV) approach to account for the use of the capital equipment. The LCC approach incorporates a tool into the framework that ensures that the cost of technology (capital) is accounted for over its lifetime.
Costing is the processing of expenditures to calculate their cost to each project. A typical and an ideal cost management profile is given below:
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As costs increase, performance gets impaired. When cost reduction is periodically initiated, it often results in a temporary cull of capabilities, directly impacting on future ability to deliver performance. Where cost reductions are achieved, performance often recovers temporarily, only for focus on proactive cost management to be lost, and for costs to begin to increase again. Without specific cost management action, this cycle can continue indefinitely.
It must be observed that the ability to influence project success and enhance value is greatest at the start of project evaluation and rapidly declines as a project advances towards implementation. In the same instance, the cost of change dramatically increases throughout each project evaluation stage. This suggests that the quality of the decision making in the early stages of project evaluation, primarily focused at capital costs, is critical to an optimal project outcome.
Cost Escalations and Indices
In coal mining projects, capital costs are dynamic and are inflated when the projects get delayed. Cost indexes provide a means of adjusting out-dated capital and operating cost information for the effects of inflation due to such delays. They are based on statistical averages of costs for specific items and time periods. There are the composite indexes for capital and operating costs for each of surface and underground coal mining and coal processing (preparation) operations, which are calculated taking into account several projects done in the past as well as taking economic indices into account. Indexes for specific cost centres, e.g., labour, equipment, transportation, fuel, explosives, tires, electric power, natural gas, and industrial chemicals are available, which are being used by the industry and the regulators to allow prudent escalations in the capital and the operating costs.
The above analysis was originally published on Infraline.
The views and opinions / conclusion expressed on this analysis is purely the writers’ own.
About Dipesh Dipu
Dipesh Dipu works as Director with Deloitte in the Energy and Resources consulting practice of the firm and anchors the Firm’s initiative in the mining and metals sectors. He is a mining engineering graduate from Indian School of Mines and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
He has also done executive program in business management from Indian Institute of Management Calcutta. Dipesh has recently been awarded the Abheraj Baldota Gold Medal for the Young Mining Engineer of the Year 2007 by the Mining Engineers’ Association of India in recognition of his contributions in the improvement of mining industry in India.
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Wednesday, 28 September 11
ATLAS RESOURCES TO SELL 25% STAKE IN IPO - INSIDER STORIES
Insider Stories reported that, coal producer PT Atlas Resources Tbk, that is controlled by Indonesian businessman Andre Abdi, plans to sell 783.33 m ...
Tuesday, 27 September 11
A STRONG REBOUND FOR THE CAPE MARKET - BRS
A strong rebound for the Cape market, as cargoes continued to flow into the market and tonnage remained tight in the Atlantic, according to Barry Ro ...
Tuesday, 27 September 11
INTRACO SEALS US$25.3 MIO ORDER - INSIDER STORIES
Insider Stories reported that, Heavy equipment distributor PT Intraco Penta Tbk (INTA) obtained a US$25.3 million order on hand of heavy equipments ...
Sunday, 25 September 11
THE CHARTER RATES FOR INDONESIA TO INDIA WAS FIRM - VISTAAR
COALspot.com - The freight market moved up sharply with the cape Index up by 11 pct pushing the BDI by almost 6 pct and closing at 1,920 point ...
Saturday, 24 September 11
GOVT PLANS TO RENEGOTIATE ALL CONTRACTS INCLUDING FREEPORT - JP
The Jakarta Post reported that, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has confirmed plans to renegotiate all mining contracts including those wi ...
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- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- The University of Queensland
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- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- CNBM International Corporation - China
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- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
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- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
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- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
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- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Planning Commission, India
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- White Energy Company Limited
- PTC India Limited - India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Australian Coal Association
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
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