Industry 4.0 in the form of artificial intelligence (AI), the industrial internet of things (IIoT), and data analytics continue to transform every facet of mining.

The mining industry is gradually transitioning to battery-powered equipment to mitigate environmental concerns. According to Adil Khan, Sales Manager of Shakti Mining Equipment Pvt. Ltd., this clearly emphasises the necessity to increase electricity in India’s distant areas to increase power accessibility.

How is the mining sector changing in response to the current infrastructure demand?
Today, the mining sector is undergoing major changes and is reforming from mechanical to mechatronic segments. Some of the new developments in this segment include Remote operations, easy installations, safety, and collaboration for further developments.

When we talk about development in terms of technology, Industry 4.0 in the form of artificial intelligence (AI), the industrial internet of things (IIoT), and data analytics continue to transform every facet of mining. It further improves the visualisation of the entire production cycle, optimising throughout, reducing downtime, and helping operators reduce their carbon footprint.

What innovative equipment is used at mining sites to improve operations while protecting the environment?
Mining equipment powered by batteries is currently popular in this business. This technology replaces diesel equipment at mining sites since it cuts CO2 emissions significantly on-site. It is also environmentally friendly equipment with the same power as diesel engines. We wouldn’t be surprised if we saw all of this technology on Indian sites in a few years.

How is the mining equipment market faring in terms of expanding its capacity?
The market is developing capacity, albeit slowly, based on mine owners’ access to funds and mining allocations. It is also aided by the growth of the electricity and cement sectors. The market will also benefit from the anticipated increase in demand for iron ore and steel. This will result in market expansion.

What are the procurement challenges in this industry?
Supply risk and budget allocation for purchasing and procuring equipment are two significant challenges in this industry. Procurement professionals always have various vendors with a short lead time to address these issues. In addition, the projection for the quarters assists them in developing appropriate tactics.

Procurement managers and experts are now concerned about budget, leading them to find more economical solutions, such as acquiring minimum capacity equipment or sub-lending the projects to local vendors to avoid the risk of allocation in the mining industry. But they still face the risk of supply in this case, and many times the projects deviate.

What are your thoughts on the change from fuel-powered to battery-powered or electrical mining equipment?
From an environmental perspective, this shift from diesel to electric is excellent, but the power supply is still a primary concern in various Indian geographies. But from a mining point of view, it has reduced the intensity of the sound with fewer carbon emissions and equivalent power and performance of the machine. This has also significantly reduced operational costs.