The Status of Ndt Techniques in Indian Coal Mining Industries

Introduction: India with hard coal production of about 254 MT from about 550 nationalised mines in 1994-95 is the third largest coal producing country in the world after China & USA. The country with 16.4 percent population of the world has measure 6.8 percent share of proved world coal resources. Coalfield over an area of 4.37 million hectares out of the total land surface of 328.8 million hectares in India. However, the area covered by the past and present coal mining projects is only about 0.36 million hectares i.e 0.11% of the total area of our country. Coal industry in India is over 200 years old but the real growth in Indian coal industry took place since 1971. To achieve target of coal production the exact coordination of three M's are necessary i.e manpower, machinery and management. Out of these three machinery has the greatest role to play in achieving the target. It is the backbone of coal transportation through haulage transport and mine hoisting . Haulage are considered the second largest single cause of accident by studying the accident rate data (TABLE-II). Rope haulage still remains the primary means of transportation of men, minerals and supplies in the underground coal mines. The other rope transport system i.e. mine hoisting system transport men, minerals and the waste and employs many mechanical items from suspension gear to steel wire ropes and then head gear pulley shaft. In hostile environment of mining operation transportation system either by haulage or hoisting required to be reliable and safe. The accident rate data for mine hoisting was shown in TABLE-I.