New Underground Mining Technology at North-East Coalfields in Assam, India - Case Study Example

Introduction of New Underground Mining Technology at North-East Coalfields in Assam, India Table of Contents Introduction 3 2. Summary of Project Deliverables 4 2.1 Selection of the Project Methodology and its Relevance 4 2.2 Organisation of the Overall Project Activities 4 2.3 Quality Control Measures and Practices 5 3. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) 5 3.1 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for the Proposed Project 5 3.2 Analysing WBS Activities 7 4. Stakeholder Identification And Analysis 9 4.1 Identification of Stakeholder Groups (Primary and Secondary) 9 4.2 Justification of the Stakeholder Matrix 11 References 13 1. Introduction With reference to the historical phenomenon, coal has ever been witnessed as the most valuable and primary source of energy in India. The nation is witnessed to contemplate the extensive numbers of coal mines as one of the crucial fossil fuel resources that are located in its different states (Gee, 1940). In this regard, Assam is one of the leading states in terms of having an extensive resource of coal mine as compared to other state within the nation. Positioned in the North-Eastern part of India, Assam is opulently endowed with an extensive resource of coal mines. According to the statistical report of the Indian Bureau of Mines (2010), the state has produced coal with a volume of 1110 thousand MT from broad assortment of valuable coal mining sectors. The coal mining industry of the state was founded by AR & T Co. (Assam Railways and Trading Company) during the year 1888 and thus extensively increased its annual production levels over the years (Directorate Of Economics & Statistics, Government Of Assam, 2011). The growth in annual production along with extensive manifestation of valuable mining fields has been able to grab the attention not only of the public sector of the country, but also obtained major interests of the privately held organizations belonging to national as well as global levels (Sen, 2013; Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Limited, 2011). By considering the growing opportunity of coal mine industry in Assam, the prime intent of this assignment is to bring adequate focus of European Union and call for a tender to introduce an innovative underground mining technology at North-East Coal-fields in Assam. The discussion associated with this case is therefore based on the European Commission Call for Tenders ENER/A3/2013-453-1 and provides a detail outline through developing effective Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for the project and conducting stakeholder analysis with regards to the attainment of project objectives. 2. Summary of Project Deliverables Detail of project deliverables can be duly accepted as one of the major activities of project management, as it involves each activity to be accomplished in different stages of a project. The appropriate explanation of varied project deliverables enables in gaining a major understanding about the strategic measures and practices to achieve goals relating to each project activity. Moreover, it also ensures to analyze detailed results of each activity and helps in identifying whether or not the activities are met with their postulated goals (Prestemon, 2011). With regards to the deliverables associated with the tendency of European Commission ENER/A3/2013-453-1, the activities will be characterized into a few major set of project management strategies. A brief summary of the deliverables associated with the project have been detailed below. 2.1 Selection of the Project Methodology and its Relevance The deliverable includes an overall presentation of the methodology, which will be taken into concern in the project and details about the consultants’ model regarding the compliance of tender policies, terms and conditions declared by the EU. In order to generate valid outcomes of the tender project, the activities are needed to substantially incorporate a critical assessment of the geological along with geo-mechanical condition of India. Moreover, in order to ensure the expected quality of the tender, the project activities also require to ascertain the preliminary contents, designs as well as technical specifications of various tasks associated with the project. 2.2 Organisation of the Overall Project Activities This deliverable enables to critically assess the strategic, operational and financial activities to be performed by each individual or groups associated with the project. The adequate explanation of the overall activities associated with different departments of the project will certainly provide valuable information, which can facilitate in attaining the predetermined project activities. Moreover, evaluation of management information associated with particular compilation of different project activities and their appropriate and relevant interpretation of the deliverables may also support in obtaining the desired objectives of the tender project. 2.3 Quality Control Measures and Practices The quality control measures and practices associated with each project activity irrespective of project operation, financial and legal considerations relating to the tender can also provide a key support to increase the validity and relevance of the project. According to the overall outcome from each criterion of the tender guidelines, it can be determined that the deliverables relating to the quality specification of tender guidelines may assist in accomplishing the ultimate goals of the project. In this regard, the continuity of operational activities including geological and/or geo-technical inspection process needs to be maintained even during the absence of project team members. Additionally, the quality inspection process in operational and strategic functions of the staff members will also aid in maintaining the efficacy of the project management operations. 3. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) 3.1 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for the Proposed Project The notion of Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is often referred to be a major tool of project management, which aids in effectively organising varied activities relating to a particular project. WBS helps in critically understanding each task associated with dissimilar stages of a project (Globerson, 1994). The prime intent of WBS approach is identified to segregate the key goals and objectives of a project into different segments. This might result in providing major support to the project management team in the context of attaining postulated goals related to each project activity successfully (Golany & Shtub, 2010). In relation to the project for the tender of the EU, the WBS process will certainly enable the project management team to set appropriate goals relating to the tasks associated with each stage of the project. The structure will also help each individual or group in performing their individual roles in a more efficient manner to attain the ultimate objectives of the project. The following graphical illustration of WBS represents a clear view of the tasks that will be performed in different stages of the project to attain the key objectives of the project regarding the construction of new underground mining technology at North-East coal-fields in Assam. Fig.1: Work Breakdown Structure for Developing Underground Mining Technology 3.2 Analysing WBS Activities Exploration Area At the exploration stage of the WBS, the function of claim staking and the title of the land is the primary set of practices to be performed. Apart from this, obtaining permit from local as well as national government regarding the formation of new underground mining technology in Assam will also be an important activity to be conducted. Moreover, the other exploration activities in relation to the aforesaid project will entail drilling along with sampling functions by encompassing different essential operations, including quality, health, safety and easy accessibility of resources, supplies along with accommodation facilities. In addition, critical inspection of geological and geochemical compatibility of the mining land will also be a major part of the exploration stage of the project (Dhawan, 2007). Environmental Area Environmental aspects can be duly regarded as one of the major set of concerns while introducing new underground mining technology at North-East Coalfields in Assam. In relation to the proposed tender project, the environmental analysis will include critical inspection of the topography along with climate conditions such as temperature, precipitation, air quality and wind of the particular landscape for mining. In addition, the environmental study for the proposed tender project of developing new coal mining in Assam will also focus on conserving adequate compliance with flora and fauna acts along with their each criterion to avoid any sort of future obstacle relating to the environment (Dhawan, 2007). Engineering and Technical Area The engineering and technical area for the project can also be regarded as the other concerned area. In this regard, conducting a critical survey of the coal mining landscape regarding the geotechnical and geological aspects would provide a major support to the overall project in achieving its desired objectives. In addition to geological, geo-technological and geo-chemical analysis, the inspection process for the engineering and technical area will also include a biological inspection process by surveying species and identifying their possible impacts that might be caused while developing an underground coal mine in the respective location (Odesola & et. al., 2013). Facilities Area The facilities area of the underground coal mine project will basically focus on different major dimensions including site characterisation and designing structure of the project. In the context of designing phase, the activities will include plant layout, linear ad embarkment of the coal mining plant, development of supply and discharge lines along with monitoring the instrumentation functions associated with each activity to be performed. The process will further ensure adequate power facilities by installing generators and power lines across each functional area of the coal mining plant. In addition, the development of sediment ponds and water retention dams will also be taken into concern to increase the efficiency of the overall functions of the underground coal mining project. While conducting the above activities, inspection of engineering process along with the development of effective layout for the plant needs to be prioritised for attaining each goal of the project (Odesola & et. al., 2013). Underground Mining The process of underground mining will basically include three major activities such as shafts and portals, drilling and blasting and ventilation and removal of waste along with ore materials. In order to build an effective coal mining plant, the shafting and portal activities will be focused on providing adequate support to the engineers in implanting different machineries or equipment in the process. In addition, the drilling and blasting activities will be conducted in accordance with plant design and expected layout of the coal mining plant. The ventilation and removal of wastes along with ore materials will be a major consideration for the proposed underground coal mining project. In this context, the process of ventilation and removal of waste will ascertain adequate policies that would further enable the coal mining plant to effectively take out waste materials without imposing any sort of negative impact on the operations as well as the environment (Dhawan, 2007). Processing The processing of the overall functions will be characterised into three key segments including crushing and grinding, metallurgical and pyro metallurgical and chemical operations. The crushing and grinding process will be implemented through appropriate mining equipment with appropriately tested prior to implant them in the operations. The process of producing metallurgical and pyro metallurgical coal will be one of the key objectives of the project. In order to raise the efficiency of the process, proper utilisation of quality based equipment along with the employment of experienced workforce will play an imperative role. In addition, the chemical operations required in production processing would be performed in accordance with their least effect on the environment or the quality of the product i.e. coal to be produced (Odesola & et. al., 2013). Management The management department of the underground coal mining plant will be highly responsible to monitor each functional area including operation, finance, legal, quality and human resource associated with the project (Dhawan, 2007). 4. Stakeholder Identification And Analysis 4.1 Identification of Stakeholder Groups (Primary and Secondary) The primary group of stakeholders who will be associated with the introduction of innovative underground mining technology at the part of North-East Coal-fields in Assam include the administrative body of European Union and varied governmental agencies along with organisations belonging to the state of Assam and India. Moreover, the operational and strategic departments associated with the project will also be considered as a group of primary stakeholders. Apart from the above stated primary stakeholders, the secondary stakeholders who would have relevance to the project include the contractors, manufacturers of required materials along with equipment and household users among others. Based on the above identified stakeholders, a detailed analysis has been made in the form of using stakeholder matrix in the following: Fig.2: Stakeholder Analysis (Primary and Secondary) 4.2 Justification of the Stakeholder Matrix The notion of stakeholder management plays an imperative role for an organisation to successfully accomplish the postulated goals and objectives of a project. The key stakeholder groups are required to be identified prior to the execution of varied project activities. It is worth mentioning that these stakeholder groups are often considered as major driving forces towards conducting a particular project smoothly from planning and development to implementation and project closing operations (Schwalbe, 2008). In relation to the proposed project of introducing new underground mining technology, it can be affirmed that the above identified key group of stakeholders must possess certain roles and responsibilities to achieve the postulated goals of the project. According to the aforesaid stakeholder analysis, it can be ascertained that the administrative body of the EU along with the governmental agencies and institutions of India will be largely benefited in completing the project efficiently. It is worth mentioning that these agencies and institutions will impose major impact on the strategic, operational and overall legal activities to be performed in the project. Moreover, the administrative and operational bodies of the project are also accountable to make effective decisions in raising the efficiency level of the diverse project activities and align them in such a way so that the overall predetermined project goals along with objectives are duly met. The local administrative departments such as the governing body of coal-fields in Assam are also regarded as one of the major and key groups having diverse sorts of legal, operational and strategic responsibilities. Moreover, the employees and the labourers will be held accountable to ensure that the project activities appropriately meet the policies, standards along with postulated strategies of the project. In addition, the suppliers and contractors linked with the operational functions are responsible to meet the operational objectives of the project. On the other hand, the involvement of different secondary group of stakeholders is also likely to impose major impact towards the attainment of predetermined project objectives. In this similar context, the other secondary stakeholder groups such as the manufacturers belonging to different iron and steel production sectors, power stations and household coal users can also be duly considered to impose low or moderate impacts on the project towards attaning its desired goals. References Central Mine Planning & Design Institute Limited, 2011. Mining Proposal for Introduction of New Mining Technology at Tipong Mine of North Eastern Coalfields, Margherita, Assam, India. Northeastern Coalfields (NEC), pp. 1-9. Dhawan, J., 2007. The Changing Face of Indian Economy. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Government of Assam, 2011. An Overview of the State. Chapter 1. [Online] Available at: http://www.ecostatassam.nic.in/ads_economic%20survey_2011-12.pdf [Accessed August 30, 2014]. Gee, E. R., 1940. History of Coal Mining in India. Geological Surevy of India, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 313-318. Globerson, S., 1994. Impact of Various Work-Breakdown Structures on Project Conceptualization. International Journal of Project Management, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 165-171. Golany, B. & Shtub, A., 2010. Work Breakdown Structure. Chapter 47. [Online] Available at: http://www.las.inpe.br/~perondi/19.07.2010/material_de_apoio_19-07-2010(1).pdf [Accessed August 30, 2014]. Odesola, I. F. & et. al., 2012. Coal Development in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges. International Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 73. Prestemon, E., 2011. Design Deliverables Checklist. City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge Department of Public Works. [Online] Available at: http://brprojects.com/SSOProgram/Documents/Design/11-Design_Deliverables_Checklist.pdf [Accessed August 30, 2014]. Schwalbe, K., 2008. Introduction to Project Management, Second Edition. Cengage Learning. Sen, S., 2013. Socio-Economic Impact of Coal Mining Industry in Assam (1826-1947) - A Historical Study. An Online Journal of Humanities & Social Science, Vol. 1, No. 4, pp. 197-201. Read More