New Delhi: Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL) has established a geotechnical laboratory at its headquarters in Sanctoria, West Bengal, to strengthen mine safety assessments and reduce dependence on external testing agencies, an official said on Tuesday.
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Inaugurated by ECL Chairman-cum-Managing Director Satish Jha, the facility is the first of its kind among Coal India’s producing subsidiaries, according to the company. It is expected to shorten testing timelines, lower costs and ease the workload of Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI), Coal India’s mine planning and consultancy arm.
Equipped with specialised rock mechanics and soil-testing instruments, the laboratory will support slope stability assessments in opencast mines and roof, floor and strata-control studies in underground mines.
It will also undertake rock mass rating evaluations to assess geological conditions relevant to mine safety and operational planning, ECL said in a statement.
The facility gives ECL greater internal capacity to examine ground conditions that influence mine design and safety decisions.
ECL plans to offer the laboratory’s services to other Coal India subsidiaries and potentially to mining and construction companies, creating an opportunity to generate revenue from its technical infrastructure.
The company will also pursue accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) for relevant testing parameters, subject to applicable requirements.
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Beyond testing, the laboratory is expected to support technical training and skill development, helping build in-house expertise in geotechnical investigations and scientific mine management, ECL said.
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