To bridge the demand-supply gap, state-owned CIL is 'planning to start mining at 18 j abandoned mines, with an estimated 1.6 billion tonnes reserves by next year. "We have identified 18 such blocks ; where the total coal reserves as per our estimates is 1.6 j billion tonnes. We are considering a JV kind of structure (for contract mining)... This we will be able to conclude by 2010 (and then thus mining could commence)," sard Coallndia Chairman Partha S Bhattacharyya.