With DynaMine, expensive mining trucks and other heavy earthmoving machinery can be made to earn their keep, as never before

The product
DynaMine: Truck dispatch system
A global positioning system (GPS)-based, operator-independent truck dispatch system (OITDS) suitable for open cast mines

The client
Jayant Opencast Coal Mine, Northern Coalfields Ltd
A subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL), India's largest coal mining company

Project details
The Jayant mine handles 30 million cubic metres of mine overburden (the waste product generated during mining operations) and around 10 million tonnes of coal in a year. It has a fleet of 15 excavators with a capacity ranging from eight to 14 cubic metres, 50 trucks of 85-tonne capacity and 30 trucks of 120-tonne capacity. The OITDS system covers the entire fleet of excavators and trucks. This system was conceptualised in 1999 and was implemented in September 2002.

	Global positioning system (GPS)-based on-board equipment with voice and data communication facilities and vital signs monitoring devices (VSMDs) is mounted on the excavators and trucks
	Three communication masts with repeaters have been installed at strategic locations to ensure reliable radio communications over an area of around 20 sq km, covering the entire mine
	Fibre-optic cable has been laid over a length of 18 km for LAN connectivity between the main control room and various user locations
	Around 25 clients are connected to the host application and database server for online monitoring
	The system is integrated with the attendance recording system for the operating staff based on card swiping, and manages an automatic crew-mining equipment-allocation facility. These allocations are automatically announced through a public address system as well as displayed on a large screen in scrolling mode, reducing considerable time-loss at the beginning of the shift.
	Important information on production and availability of mining equipment is available on the interactive voice response system (IVRS)
	The system directs each truck to move on optimised route, increasing productivity through a dynamic programming technique
	The system tracks the movement of mining equipment and maintains a register of warnings against each identified operator / equipment in case of violation of instructions or moving in non-safe zones during the specified time
	CMC maintains facility management and maintenance support round the clock, 365 days a year

	Database: Oracle 8i on SCO-UnixWare 7.1.1
	Servers: P-III Xeon dual CPU servers with SCO-Compaq non-stop clustering and RAID 5
	25 clients on Windows NT machines spread over a physical spread of 20 sq km
	Front-end application developed using a combination of PowerBuilder / Visual C++
	Web-enabled applications.
	Radio communication infrastructure.

	Increase in utilisation by: Real-time display and monitoring of the entire mining operations Instantaneous generation of alarms for stationary dumpers Automatic attendance recording and allocation of equipment to the operators, thereby: Reducing time lost at the start of the shift Reducing time lost in tea breaks Reducing time lost at the end of the shift
	Increase in availability by: Instantaneous messaging and alarm on heavy earthmoving machinery (HEMM) breakdown Online monitoring of critical parameters through VSMS Online generation of preventive maintenance schedules guided by real-time hour-meter readings Online analysis of breakdown history Online reporting of system-generated figures on availability and utilisation of HEMMs
	Increase in productivity by: Dynamic route optimisation Reduction in idling of shovels Reduction in queuing of dumpers Less time lost in re-allocation of dumpers, in case of shovel breakdown, through automatic re-allocation Instantaneous re-setting of priorities guided by production targets Effective management of operators' performance data Health monitoring of equipment helps to increase the average life of the equipment Communication infrastructure helps to reduce equipment downtime. Aids in safety measures, thereby improving the quality of life Ensures transparency in information sharing Makes vital information available online, even in homes, through IVRS (tele-link) Workforce gets motivated, leading to an increase in the productivity of invaluable human resources Ease of monitoring and co-ordination
	Front-end application developed using a combination of PowerBuilder / Visual C++
	Web-enabled applications.
	Radio communication infrastructure.

The Northern Coalfields Ltd (NCL) mine management has recorded an overall increase of seven per cent in the productivity (Tonne per available hour) of capital-intensive mining equipment like excavators and trucks. NCL is planning to extend this system to other opencast coal mines under its control. This gain can be further improved by more intensive use in future. The payback period for this system is found to be less than a year, when in use.