INTERNATIONALGerman mining tools import to be up 15%Coal Insights BureauGermany’s export of mining machinery to India is peggedat €70 million for 2010, about a 15 percent increaseover €60.3 million achieved in 2009. This, after a yearof decline, might seem to be a satisfactory performance. Butthe closure of mines back home and competition from Chinesefirms are compelling the Germans to pull up their socks.“Germany’s export of mining machinery to India showssome fluctuations over the last few years,” said Peter Jochums,past president of VDMA Mining Equipment Association.It ranged from €13 million in 2001 to €1.36 million in 2003and €60.3 million in 2009. “In 2010, we expect exports toremain more or less at the same level as in 2009. Germanmanufacturers could stabilise the export of mining machineryafter a drop last year,” Jochums said. VDMA India managingdirector Rajesh Nath, however, said total exports are likely toreach €70 million, thereby showing a 15 percent growth overlast year. Total exports of engineering equipment, which alsoincludes construction machineries, would reach €2.9 billion,about 26 percent growth over €2.3 billion posted a year ago.During the first seven months of 2010, Germany hasdelivered mining machinery worth €34 mn to the Indiancustomers. These machines mostly comprise longwallshearers, heading and tunnelling machines, and machineryfor crushing and grinding. Among the Indian <strong>coal</strong> miners,Singareni Coalfields Company Ltd (SCCL) has the mostnumber of longwall projects, Jochums said.Chinese threatWhile exuding confidence in the international reputationand quality of German mining equipment, Jochums said:“The German machinery makers are recently facing a toughcompetition from their Chinese counterparts in the Indian <strong>coal</strong>mining projects. The Chinese companies have bagged most ofthe orders in the last two years….It is high time the Germancompanies braced up to face up this competition.”The primary advantage of the Chinese firms, he said wasthat they could send their representatives and workers to stayin India for a long period and assist their clients in absorbingtechnologies. Many Chinese workers had been stationed atSingareni. This is something very few German or Europeancompanies would possibly do. Noting that German firmscould neither outdo the Chinese in cost competitiveness norin personalised service, he said: “We must hold on to ourreliability and superior technology. Germans are still aheadof the Chinese, but the gap is closing. They are learning realfast…this is a situation similar to the one we saw 25 years agowhen the Japanese overtook Germans in camera business.”Closure of <strong>coal</strong> minesAnother major factor that may drive the sales of Germanmining machinery to India is the closure of <strong>coal</strong> mines backhome. Currently, there are six operating mines in the EUcountry, producing around 14 million tons (mt) of <strong>coal</strong> a year.All these mines have become uneconomical and are expectedto be closed by 2018. Although there are significant volumes ofcopper and lignite mining going on, closure of <strong>coal</strong> mines maydrive German equipment makers to focus more on exports.Jochums, however, said that reopening of some coppermines following an increase in international copper pricesmay mitigate the impact of closure of <strong>coal</strong> mines. Germany’sblack <strong>coal</strong> production has shrunk from 150 million tons (mt)in 1957 to 25.6 mt in 2005 and further to 14 mt in 2009. In 2010,production is likely to dip to 10 mt. The government givessubstantial amount of subsidy as mining of <strong>coal</strong> has becomeuneconomical over the years. The decision to phase out the<strong>coal</strong> mines is likely to be reviewed by Parliament in 2012.Focus on IndiaIn order to tap the huge opportunity in the Indian miningsector, three major German mining equipment makers haveplanned to set up manufacturing facilities in the country soas to cater to the local miners. “Leading German machinemanufacturers Wirtgen, Hazemag and Allmineral are settingup their manufacturing units in India either through their ownunits or through joint ventures,” Nath said.While Wirtgen is setting up a manufacturing facility inPune, Allmineral has entered into a joint venture agreementwith Kolkata-based Jyotirmoyee International Pvt Ltd (JIPL) forsetting up a plant in Orissa. Hazemag is also coming up with aunit in eastern India, he said. VDMA, which has been presentin Kolkata for about 14 years now, is acting as a bridgeheadamong the German and Indian industries and fostering closerbusiness cooperation between the two countries, he added.Bidding for CIL projectsBesides setting up manufacturing units, German miningequipment makers are keen to participate in the tenders to befloated by Coal India Limited (CIL) for opencast mining projectsand washeries. CIL has decided to come up with in-builtwasheries in all new mining projects with annual productionof more than 2 mt. It has also embarked upon an ambitious`3000-crore plan to wash almost half of its output to improve thequality of <strong>coal</strong> and garner prices at par with international rates.“The German companies are in continuous dialogue withCIL. Many of these companies will take part in CIL tendersfor some washeries and opencast mining projects, which areexpected to be floated shortly,” a German trade official said.Meanwhile, Germany brought the <strong>largest</strong> ever delegation of 40companies for the International Mining Machinery Exhibition(IMME) 2010 held in Kolkata between November 10-13.COAL INSIGHTS 44 November 2010
Expert SpeakLarge diameter boring machines: Needof the hour?J.P. PandaThe recently conducted mission to rescue 33 minerstrapped in the San Jose mine in Chile was a remarkableexample of sheer human grit and determination.However, in the entire episode, one simply cannot ignorethe role played by technology in the form of the “SchrammT130XD” category drill employed in the plan. It was thisdrill which enabled rescuers to bore a hole a full 28 inchesin diameter, which eventually created the passage throughwhich the miners were able to come out in a specially designedcapsule.The remarkable feat of drilling a 28 inches (71 cm) diameterhole to a depth of 588 metres at the San Jose Mine is a lessonto all concerned with safety in mines and leads us to ponderwhether such equipmentshould be an integral part ofour rescue stations in India.With safety of miners beingof prime importance in theentire <strong>coal</strong> extraction process,one cannot help but wonderwhether such a drill should bepresent in the rescue stationsof Coal India Limited (CIL), orbe a part of the <strong>coal</strong> subsidiarycompanies which are into largescale underground miningsuch as Western CoalfieldsLimited (WCL), Bharat CokingCoal Limited (BCCL), EasternCoalfields Limited (ECL)and South Eastern CoalfieldsLimited (SECL).The Schramm T130XD is aheavy duty, heavy hoist, carriermounted drill rig. The T130XDutilises the latest concepts inmast design and technology.Telescoping constructionpermits long head travel andworking height to allow use ofRange III casing, yet it has shortoverall length in the transportposition. With a front overhangof less than 6 feet, the T130XDwill get you to the jobsite whenaccess roads require a compactmachine. Heavy pullback capacity makes this machine a perfectchoice for shallow oil and gas, <strong>coal</strong> bed methane drainage anddeep water well applications as well.Some of the integral features of this remarkable piece ofmachinery are listed below:♦♦1,30,000 lbs (59,090 kg) actual pull up♦♦28 inches (711 mm) table opening♦♦760 hp deck engine♦♦1350/350 – 1150/500 variable volume compressor♦ ♦ (38 cu m/min @ 24.1 bar & 32.6 cu m/min @ 35.5 bar)♦♦50 feet (15.25 m) of clear head travelCOAL INSIGHTS 45 November 2010
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