CIL to undertake digitalisation of 7 mines with Accenture to raise coal output

• Accenture would lead and support the implementation of digitalisation and process excellence while assuring 100 MTs increased coal output from the identified mines
• Learning from the outcome and success of this model we may replicate it in our other large mines, said an official

New Delhi: State-run Coal India Ltd (CIL) has formally engaged Accenture Solutions Private Limited as consultant, for digitalisation of mine process in seven select opencast mines of the company, for accelerated performance enhancement. A contract was signed to this effect on July 12, said CIL in an official statement on Tuesday. In a first-of-its-kind venture, the consultant would lead and support the implementation of digitalisation and process excellence while assuring 100 million tonnes (MTs) increased coal output from the identified mines, said Coal India.

Digitalisation undertaken to raise mine productivity, efficiency: CIL

The aim is to fit together and use the available data analytic techniques to raise mine productivity and efficiency from planning, project monitoring, operations till despatch, through effective system management and dynamic monitoring. Among many measures, the HEMM deployed in these mines would be fitted with digital sensors to monitor the efficiency of their performance at every level.

The moves will help in addressing the road blocks and take corrective measures. The objective is to extract higher volumes of coal at lower costs.

These 7 mines of CIL will undergo digitalisation

The seven identified mines are Kusmunda, Gevra, Dipka of South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) and Nigahi, Jayant, Dudhichua, Khadia of Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL). "With the fee linked to the performance, the consultant assures an increased quantity of 100 MTs coal by end of FY23 over the combined production of seven mines at the closure of FY22, which is taken as baseline figure to measure output enhancement. Till March 2022, Accenture shall be laying down the digitalisation groundwork in these mines," said Coal India. The coal miner has a target to produce 1 Billion Tonnes (BTs) of coal by 2024.

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These high yielding mines accounted for nearly 32 percent or 188 MTs of CIL's total coal output of 596 MTs during FY21. While the three mines of SECL contributed around 112 MTs, the rest contributed close to 76 MTs came through four of NCL's mines. 

'Model may be replicated in other CIL mines, if successful'

"This is a first of its kind initiative by the company utilising digitalisation to ramp up coal output. It will be enabled in seven select mines for transformation across the entire business value chain of mining operations," said a senior official of the company. In broad terms, consultant's success fee shall be paid only on achievement of more than a minimum threshold level of the assured quantity. On crossing the threshold level, the consultant would be paid an agreed sum for every additional tonne of coal produced. "Learning from the outcome and success of this model we may replicate it in our other large mines," said the official.     

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