Buddhadeb insists on new mining technology

Kolkata, November 5 : ninth four-day International Mining and Machinery Exhibition 2008
With the rising demand of coal in the country, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee insists that the mining sector uses new technology and innovative scientific measures to use the coal seams at greater depths.

At the ninth four-day International Mining and Machinery Exhibition (IMME) 2008, inaugurated in the city on Wednesday, the chief minister stressed that instead of mining the coal seams directly, new technologies might be introduced to extract the combustible gases present in coal, which could be used as fuel or feedstock for chemicals.

“We have huge coal reserves in the state, which ranks fourth amongst the coal-bearing states of the country. There is, however, a need for augmentation of coal reserves in the state,” said Bhattacharjee. At present, there are five coal companies engaged in coal production in the state. Despite the West Bengal Mineral Development and Trading Corporation being allotted six coal blocks where pre-mining activities have commenced, Bhattacharjee claims that new coal blocks need to be allocated by the Union Ministry of Coal. Organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry in association with the Ministry of Mines and Coal and Cola India Limited, the exhibition saw the participation of both domestic and international players.

Spread over an area of 50,000 sq m, with over 300 exhibitors from 15 countries, the exhibition has a 60 per cent presence of international players. Germany — partner country at IMME this year — is expected to put up the largest ever exposition of latest equipment and engineering technologies for the mining sector.

Apart from Germany, the exhibition will witness participation from China, Canada, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Poland, Singapore, Sweden, UK, Ukraine and US, among a host of others. While special focus will be on mining construction, material handling and mineral processes, a number of new products for the mining construction and mineral processing sector will be launched during the exhibition.

“It is a challenge for the mining industry of our country to implement suitable technology so that deep-seated coal deposits can be exploited. The coalfields of Raniganj are predominantly deep-seated mostly exploitable by underground method but past performance of underground mining in India is rather poor,” said Bhattacharjee.

Besides the exhibition, a Global Mining Summit, which will have 350 delegates, will also be held concurrently with the IMME. In addition, a buyer-seller meet has also been planned for manufactures and service providers to interact with potential buyers in the mining sector.