Coal and talc reserves have been exhausted and others are in decline. — Photo Kuensel/ANN |
THIMPHU — Bhutan's non-renewable resources paint a mixed picture of stability and decline, with coal and talc known reserves fully exhausted and others showing worrying downward trends.
Data from the Environmental Accounts Statistics 2024 reveals a decade of contrasting trajectories for key minerals, including dolomite, limestone, gypsum, and iron ore.
Once a critical resource, Bhutan’s coal reserves are now depleted. From 2014 to 2023, coal extraction averaged 0.13 million metric tonnes (MT) annually, peaking at 0.19 million MT in 2018 and 2019. By 2019, reserves turned negative, and by 2023, the coal stock was officially exhausted.
The over-extraction, compounded by the lack of new reserves, has rendered coal reserves unsustainable.
Analysts point to over-extraction and growing industrial demand as the primary cause for depletion, compounded by the absence of new reserves. This has raised the urgent need for alternative energy solutions to reduce the country’s reliance on coal.
Unlike coal, dolomite reserves have remained stable. From 2014 to 2023, an average of 2.44 million MT of dolomite was extracted annually. The highest recorded extraction was 3.03 million MT in 2019, but closing stocks remained steady at 14,512.51 million MT in 2023.
Limestone reserves have been steadily declining, with no additions to stock in the past decade. The annual extraction averages 1.17 million MT, with a peak of 1.55 million MT in 2019. By the end of 2023, the closing stock stood at 149.95 million MT, a decline of 12.66 million MT since 2013.
Gypsum extraction has remained consistent, averaging 0.46 million MT annually. The closing stock in 2023 was recorded at 128.24 million MT, showing a gradual depletion over the years.
Talc extraction has shown a worrying trend, with annual extraction dropping from 0.0007 million MT in 2021 and 2022 to 0.0004 million MT in 2023. Talc known reserves have been exhausted since 2018, emphasising the need for immediate interventions to assess and replenish reserves.
Iron ore, the only metal accounted for in the report, has an average annual extraction of 0.03 million MT. By the end of 2023, closing stocks stood at 2.41 million MT. Although reserves are limited, there has been a consistent extraction rate.
Sand faces a high demand amidst low stock. Sand production has fluctuated significantly. In 2022, production peaked at 32.85 million cubic feet (Cft), while disposal reached 32.55 million Cft.
However, production and disposal dropped to 16.85 million Cft in 2023, reflecting potential resource constraints or reduced demand. The closing stock in 2023 was 3.27 million Cft, a modest recovery from lows of 1.59 million Cft in 2018. — KUENSEL/ANN