Organisations in the mining sector are increasingly relying on digital tools to streamline production processes and gain real-time visibility into their assets. Data-driven insights are also becoming critical for safety and sustainability goals. In an interaction with Indian Infrastructure, M. Prasanna Kumar, Chairman and Managing Director, NLC India Limited (NLCIL), talked about how the company is leveraging digital tools to achieve the goals of productivity, safety and sustainability. Edited excerpts…
How are digital tools and technologies shaping the mining industry?
Today, the industry focus is not only on increasing production, but doing so in a sustainable manner, taking all environmental factors into consideration. This is where data-driven operational excellence becomes fundamental. Gone are the days when data was only used to understand the root cause when equipment failure occurred. Currently, data and analytics are being used to make key business decisions in the coal mining industry.
How has NLCIL’s digital transformation journey been?
At NLCIL, we are using data intensively to enhance our operational efficiency and streamline processes. We are transitioning from the conventional preventive maintenance practice towards condition-based maintenance. We are using data analytics and AI on our heavy earth moving equipment (HEMMs) and specialised mining equipment (SME) such as bucket wheel excavators.
Safety is a key priority for us. We have introduced a real-time application called ARAN, a mobile app, which allows our employees to report any deviation in the safety practices or unsafe conditions. This, in turn, allows for effective and timely resolution.
Recently, we decided to deploy an integrated command control centre (ICCC), which will help us in effective monitoring and data-driven decision-making. The tender process is already under way, likely to be awarded in April 2026. Execution will take another seven to eight months post that. We are planning to complete all the activities before December 2026. All our mines will be integerated under this ICCC.
What are the key areas that have highly benefited from digital interventions?
One of the key areas is managing and maintaining our SMEs and HEMMs. We do mining activities using bucket wheel excavators, which are huge in size. The failure or breakdown of even one such excavator can severely impact the entire production line, as it is part of a continuous mining system from extraction to delivery. Digitalisation has helped in monitoring the health of such equipment, making them more reliable. We have digital tools installed on these machines, which help us in close monitoring, averting catastrophic failures and taking timely corrective actions.
We are now looking to move from conventional schedule-based maintenance to a more predictive type of maintenance.
What are the key challenges?
NLCIL comes with 70 years of legacy. For companies like us, change management is the biggest challenge when embracing any new technology or digital solution. There is resistance from the workforce, which often leads to under-utilisation of tools. To explain the advantages of digitalisation and convince every stakeholder remains a key challenge. Adopting any new technology also demands a massive upgrade to the existing skill set of the organisation. The second big challenge is the number of options that are now available in the market. Choosing the correct technology or tool, which aligns with the company’s needs and philosophy, is important. To ensure the seamless integration of legacy technologies with new and advanced technologies, we, at NLCIL, thoroughly study and clarify specifications for the new systems before buying them, so that they are compatible with existing technologies while being future-ready.
How are you addressing the skill-related challenge?
Imparting proper knowledge and skills to the workforce is a key component of our digital transformation blueprint. We create different training programmes for different levels of executives. Advanced simulation training for critical and cost- and safety-sensitive skills, such as bucket wheel excavator operations, HEMM operations and board operations of thermal power plant systems, are being conducted for inductees alongside refresher training for the existing workforce. We take regular pre-training inputs and assess existing skill levels before designing any programme. This is done post training as well, to enhance effectiveness through a proper feedback system.
What are your views on the adoption of digital twins in the mining sector?
It is a great technological innovation. We are trying to leverage it for most of our major equipment. It is being used in the majority of equipment in our thermal power stations as well.
