Challenges and Need of Trans-Disciplinary Research for Technological Innovations in Coal Mining – A Look Forward

Abstract

This keynote is aimed at creating awareness among mining community on the impetus of trans-disciplinary research and latest technological innovations applicable for mining industries. Latest Exploration and Survey techniques utilising GIS, light weight laser scanning systems etc including radar applications may be considered. Automation in underground mining machinery and innovations in heavy earth moving machinery for large scale open cast mining are also appears to be worthy of wide utilisation along with latest Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for mining as a drop in ocean of attempts for make in India concept a reality. The mining industry is confronted with a number of well-known systemic challenges, including limited availability of qualified labour, remote and difficult work environments and the unending need to improve yields and reduce costs to meet competitive challenges in an industry where there is limited pricing differentiation. Mining companies has to understand their perspective on future industry trends and their expectations for autonomous equipment. Three areas in which autonomy could provide the most value were in improving overall mine performance, increasing safety and reducing the aggregate labour requirements. The mining industry typically operates in a cyclic fashion with periods of strong growth followed by inevitable downturns. The industry is currently in the throes of a downturn. In India, coal is the most important energy resource as also the main contributor to the basket of commercial energy of the country. India is the third largest coal producer in the world after China and USA. The biggest reserves of coal are in the USA, Russia, China and India. Suitable technologies suing expert systems are urgently required to techno-economically mine reserves in widely varying geo-mining conditions of 301.56 Billion tons of geological resources of Indian coal.