Modern Mining September 2024

Joy 12HM37 Continuous Miner.

There is a huge drive from the Indian government to become self-sufficient in coal production going forward.

Komatsu’s Joy product range for underground coal operations includes the continuous miner, shuttle cars, longwall shearers, powered roof supports and continuous haulage systems, amongst others. The Japanese-engineered mining, construction, earthmoving and utility equipment supplier, relies on its Joy Smart Solutions platform to Training and skills development Following India’s decision to lift local coal production, an increasing number of Indian miners have started to fast-track development of their coal operations. Being relatively new to underground mining, India is facing challenges related to underground infrastructure development and skills and training development. “South Africans understand the challenges associated with skills attrition, unlike Australia, the US and countries in Europe that are equipped with high skills sets for their underground operations,” Andrews explains. According to him, from an underground coal mining industry skills development perspective, the Indian coal market is in its infancy and lagging behind the rest of the established coal sector, including South Africa. “Underground coal mining is quite a new game for the Indian market, which is seeking partnerships with experts support its machines across the globe.

“India is a significant importer of coal. Pegged as the second largest coal producer in the world, India is currently engaged in surface mining. However, with surface resources diminishing, more viable underground

opportunities exist – an area where South Africa leads the way with original equipment manufacturers, such as Komatsu, being integral

to local coal output. There is a huge drive from the Indian government to become self-sufficient in coal production going forward, and this translates to the need to co-opt expertise from industry leading equipment manufacturers with innovative products for increased productivity.” South Africa, which has been engaged in underground mining for many decades, is a leader in the field and home to some of the world’s deepest mines, including Harmony Gold’s Mponeng gold mine in Gauteng province, which has a depth of 3,8 km. According to Andrews, India is eager to mine its readily available coal and, as such, is seeking partnerships with key experts in the field, including Komatsu, which has a long history of underground coal mining. “We are currently supporting our colleagues in India in many different roles and ways, including remote monitoring support and automation and data analysis, amongst others. We are already in talks with coal miners in India that are keen to acquire fleets of equipment relevant to underground coal mining.”

SEPTEMBER 2024 | www.modernminingmagazine.co.za  MODERN MINING  19