This book provides insight for practitioners to prepare configurations for those surface mining business impacting attributes in a meaningful representation. The contribution of this book lies in giving a direction to those think tanks of mining industry dealing with attributes impacting business they are working in. Based on their survey within their company, attributes can be explored and coded either on colour codes or any other method as they find suitable. The academics can help practitioners find out different latent attributes impacting business in surface mines which can be integrated in a holistic approach for the people working in this particular challenging environment.
The book is an attempt to explore and interpret attributes influencing business of Indian surface mining industry in a managerial technique popular in other fields. The study further introduces a colour coding system resulting in prioritizing business influencing attributes of Indian surface mines in a meaningful way. Implementation or use of this approach can transform operational strategies of mining operators in enriching mining productivity issues.
The book shows priorities can be fixed on different attributes influencing business of this basic industry struggling with range of issues. The technique of attending those niggling issues in a colour coding system will show a new direction to operational strategy in tackling business issues. Attribute prioritizing and subsequent clustering will lead to eradication of confusion in attending any attribute. High impacting attribute will get preference in addressing than lower ones. Moreover, a clear cut approach in tackling issues will have instructive signals on industry’s implementing level of management people. At last, we recommend implementation of this strategy at various struggling industries other than surface mining. Efforts on higher impacting attributes will get due attention, tagging a colour coding system.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Problems faced by mining business
1.1.1 Commodity super-cycle scenario in Mining Industry
1.1.2 Aftermath of commodity super-cycle in Mining Industry
1.2 Significance of the book
1.3 Direction of the book
1.4 Chapter summary
1.5 Chapters of book
2. Studies carried out around the world
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Studies carried by researchers/ experts
2.3 Attributes from studies of researchers/ experts
2.4 Gaps of previous studies
2.4.1 Statutory Clearances
2.4.2 Political Influence
2.4.3 Dispatching Systems
2.5 Operational definitions of influencing variables identified
2.6 Chapter summary
3. Indian Mining and minerals at a glance
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Indian Mining Industry at a glance
3.2.1 Average Daily Employment and Value of Output
3.3 Chapter Summary
4. Surface mining process and productivity
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Type of mining methods
4.3 Massively deposited surface mining processes
4.3.1 Mineral Prospecting and Exploration
4.3.2 Excavation
4.3.3 Loading and Hauling/ Transporting
4.3.4 Calibration/ Crushing and Sizing
4.3.5 Beneficiation/Washing
4.3.6 Dispatching
4.3.7 Reclamation
4.4 Productivity
4.4.1 Labour Productivity
4.4.2 Multi Factor Productivity or Total Factor Productivity
4.4.3 MineLens Productivity Index
4.5 Chapter Summary
5. Business influencing factors and interpretations
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Five-Factor Structure of Mining business
5.3 Explanation to the five principal factors
5.4 Ranking of attributes based on impact factor
5.5 Cluster of attributes based on impact factor
5.6 Colour coding of influencing attributes
5.7 Chapter Summary
6. Conclusion
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Summary of important factors
6.3 Ranking of influencing attributes and their clusters
6.4 Managerial and academic implications
Objectives and Core Topics
This book aims to identify and analyze the critical factors influencing the productivity of massively deposited surface mining operations in India. It seeks to bridge the gap between academic research and field-level execution by providing a structured, strategy-oriented framework for management to prioritize and address operational challenges effectively.
- Analysis of global mining research and identification of 34 key business-influencing attributes.
- Categorization of mining business factors into five principal areas (Operational, Managerial, Human Resource, Financial, and Resource/Utility).
- Introduction of a specialized color-coding system, modeled after the US Homeland Security Advisory System, to prioritize and manage productivity threats.
- Examination of the "super-cycle" phenomenon and its aftermath on global and Indian mining profitability.
- Evaluation of productivity metrics, including the MineLens Productivity Index (MPI) and traditional total factor productivity models.
Excerpt from the Book
4.3.3 Loading and Hauling/ Transporting:
Equipment selection is an important strategic decision in design of material handling system. An improper design will lead to operational confusion and related problems inviting unnecessary investment costs. Loading and hauling determines number and combination of trucks and loaders engaged for moving the materials fulfilling specified production scheduling. Two types of loading is required at this stage, firstly, removal of under quality materials and secondly, the selected ore rocks. Scheduling plans are done for Loader Operation and Truck/ Dumper operation. Again two types of Hauling/ Transporting are required to deal with the overburden and ore extracts. The overburden is transported to a different location for either reclamation or, other use as planned and the ore extracts for calibration at crushing units. Carrying the fragmented ore from bottom or benches of mine to crusher plants, the trucks/ dumpers moves in an upward direction in a gradient and very slowly. After uploading the ore in primary crusher plant, these dumpers returns to the lifting spot. This to and fro of one duper is known as truck cycle.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the mining industry and its historical context, discussing the impact of the commodity super-cycle and the book's specific research objectives.
2. Studies carried out around the world: This chapter reviews global research on mining productivity, synthesizing 60 studies to identify common attributes and gaps in the existing literature.
3. Indian Mining and minerals at a glance: This chapter provides an overview of the Indian mining landscape, mineral distribution, and statistical data on employment and output.
4. Surface mining process and productivity: This chapter details the operational sequence of surface mining, from prospecting to reclamation, and explores various methodologies for measuring productivity.
5. Business influencing factors and interpretations: This chapter presents the core analysis, introducing a 5-factor structure of mining business and a color-coding system to rank attributes by impact.
6. Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the study's findings, reiterating the importance of strategic attribute management and providing managerial and academic implications.
Keywords
Surface Mining, Productivity, Commodity Super-cycle, Mining Management, Operational Excellence, MineLens Productivity Index, Resource Extraction, Cost Optimization, Equipment Reliability, Labour Productivity, Strategic Planning, Indian Mining Industry, Factor Analysis, Mineral Processing, Blasting Optimization
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work focuses on identifying and analyzing the critical attributes that impact the business and productivity of massively deposited surface mines, specifically within the Indian mining context.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The research categorizes influencing factors into five principal areas: Operational Issues, Managerial Issues, Human Resource Issues, Financial Issues, and Resource & Utility Issues.
What is the primary goal of this study?
The goal is to provide management with a structured, data-driven approach to prioritize operational and strategic challenges using a color-coding system that highlights high-impact productivity threats.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The authors employ an extensive literature review, field studies, and principal factor analysis to sequence and cluster mining attributes based on their financial and operational importance.
What does the main body of the work address?
The book details the operational processes of surface mining, provides a comprehensive summary of global research findings, and develops a ranking system for 34 key mining attributes.
How is this work characterized?
It is characterized as a strategic management guide that utilizes a color-coded threat-alert system to help mining companies navigate volatility and market uncertainty.
How does the "color-coding system" function?
Inspired by the US Homeland Security Advisory System, the authors assign colors (e.g., Red for "Severe") to clusters of attributes based on their impact values to help management allocate attention and resources where they are most needed.
Why are statutory clearances mentioned as a gap?
Field experts identified that regulatory hurdles and the administrative aftermath of mining scams significantly delay operations, representing a critical, often underestimated influence on productivity.
How does the book relate to "MineLens Productivity Index"?
The book utilizes the MineLens Productivity Index as a key metric to enable managers to isolate productivity factors within their direct control, such as capital and labor expenditures, from external market volatility.
- Quote paper
- Dr. Padma Charan Mishra (Author), Dr. Manoj Kumar Mohanty (Author), Dr. Manmohan Mall (Author), 2018, Operations of Surface Mines. An insight, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/452089
