Opportunities for advanced mining technologies exist only in a few large coal mines. Here's why!

The Indian mining sector has traditionally been dominated by small private companies, small private contractors and government companies. All these buyer classes are extremely price-conscious, an outlook that lowers the significance attached to differentiation based on build quality even when product features are compared. <p></p> <p>(Apart from coal, most open pit mines of other minerals are small and worked on by contractors who usually deploy lower capacity equipment, which is essentially construction equipment, observes <span style="font-weight: bold;">Shib Bhowmik, Country Head, Joy Global India, Komatsu Mining Corp Group.</span> </p> <p>Small private contractors in the coal segment tend to use low technology equipment such as banned water-well drills and excavator-mounted drills, says <span style="font-weight: bold;">Animesh Nandy, Business Line Manager, Drilling Solutions, Epiroc Mining India.</span></p> <p>(Government-owned companies are mandated to follow the government¦s public procurement policy (lowest bidder) and it becomes really difficult for potential users to attach importance to product differentiation based on intrinsic quality and safety aspects, observes Bhowmik. (Specifications are captured and compared but not prioritised over price as long as minimum criteria are met.</p> <p>Thus, (opportunities for advanced mining technologies by and large exist only in a few large coal mines that generate more than half of India's total coal production and a few underground coal and metal mines, notes Bhowmik.</p> <p>Bhowmik cites only commercial coal mining as being a potential driver of advanced mining technology such as high-capacity P&amp;H shovels and loading equipment for open pit mines, and room and pillar mechanised mining equipment for underground coal mines. </p> <p>Going ahead with commercial coal mining plans, introducing mine developers and operators could also help bring in the latest technologies and mine management practices, opines Nandy, as would collaborations with global mining companies, equipment manufacturers, technical experts and scientific and regulatory institutions.</p>