Opencast mining ensures a quick and large quantum of production and maximum possible recovery of coal.The constraint to the application of Opencast mining is the economic limit of stripping ratio and to some extent the restrictions related to the surface environment.

Opencast mining operations in SCCL were taken up in 1975.

SCCL has been operating it’s OC mines with Average stripping ratio of around 1:5(2011-12) and is planning for higher stripping ratio in the near future.

Because of many statuary restrictions, lot of coal (40%-60%) is left in underground mines. From the point of conservation & safety in future, it is essential to find a way to exploit this coal economically.

As the percentage of coal recovery by opencast method is more, SCCL has resorted to reopen/convert closed underground coal mines as opencast mines wherever reasonable reserves are available. Eg. RGOC III, GKOC, & SRPOC etc.

Some more projects are about to be launched to extract coal from standing coal pillars, barriers, partitions, etc., of old/closed mines.

SCCL produced 41.57MT of coal from opencast mines during the year 2011-12.