Around one-tenth of accidents in the country’s mining operation occur due to unstable overburden dumps, Malay Tikedar, Deputy Director-General (South Central Zone), said and stressed the need for greater mining safety at a time when the role of the private sector in the mining sector is increasing.
Specialists in the mining sector from selected organizations and mining colleges, for example, SCCL, CIA Global Venture, MidWest Granite, IITISM Dhanbad, NIT Rourkela, NIT Surathkal, JNTU(H), Osmania University and a couple of different universities took part in the online event, organized by Mallareddy Engineering College’s Mining Department.
Speaking at the inaugural session of a week-long virtual (online) Faculty Training on “Stabilization and Strengthening of Steep Slope Overburden Dumps in Opencast Mines — Problems & Solutions”, Mr. Tikedar asked the engineers participating in the programme, from various parts of the country, to find out solutions to accidents due to sloping overburden dumps.
He also said, “Increased safety in the mining activity would not only increase in the production but would ensure better safety to miners.”
Director (Operations) of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd., S. Chandrasekhar explained the Singareni practices in managing the slopes and dumps of overburden. He said overburden slopes and dumps in opencast mines are formed during the quarrying.
Mr. Chandrasekhar said Singareni was the country’s first mining company to use LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) for accurate information about the management of overburden slopes and dumps. They have used minex e-modules to strengthen and stabilize the overburden slopes, as well as computer mapping on mining excavations.
