PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, Oct 5: Tata Steel’s Noamundi Iron Mine in West Singhbhum district has been awarded with the prestigious Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (FIMI) Vedanta Sesa Goa Mining Innovation Award for the year 2020-21 for exemplary efforts in the field of innovation in mining.
Rahul Kishore, head (Mining Operations), Katamati Iron Mine, Tata Steel received the award on behalf of Tata Steel from Alok Tandon, secretary of Mines, Government of India during the 55th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of FIMI at New Delhi recently.
Expressing happiness on receiving the award, D B Sundara Ramam, vice-president (Raw Materials), Tata Steel said: “We are honoured to receive this award for our efforts towards innovation in mining practices. We invest continuously in process efficiency and state-of-the-art technology with a relentless focus on innovation. Our focus on innovation and research reinforces our drive to improve operational efficiency, resource optimisation and sustainability. Together, with our stakeholders, we are building a sustainable enterprise that is capable of standing the test of time.”
Noamundi Iron Mine adopts best practices, modern technologies and innovation to ensure that mining activities are efficient and sustainable with minimal or no environmental or social impact.
The mine has implemented digital technology like integrated control room at Noamundi Processing Plant, Fleet Management System, predictive maintenance of equipment through continuous monitoring of its health parameters, smart braking system in vehicles, connected workforce, digital safety management and many innovative practices in its entire value chain.
Installation of 3 MW solar power plant at Noamundi is one such efforts of environmental innovation towards reducing CO2 emissions by about 3,000 tonnes per annum. Innovation in afforestation and its efforts towards water conservation and management is something worth noting. Noamundi Iron Mine is a five-star rated mine certified by Ministry of Mines.
The Mining Innovation Award is designed to recognize and honour individual mines for their exemplary efforts in the field of innovation in mining.
In the overall scheme of assessment, aspects such as innovation approach in mining towards technology, environment, social, competencies, training and skill development etc. are given significant importance. It was on the basis of desktop assessment and presentation, followed by the decision of the jury committee for FIMI Awards 2020-21 that Noamundi Iron Mine was selected for Mining Innovation Award for the year 2020-21.
