Date:13/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/13/stories/2007091357230300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

SCCL to introduce 100-tonne operating dumpers soon

Staff Reporter

MANUGURU: The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) will introduce 100–tonne operating dumpers in open cast mining at Manuguru in six months time. It is established that the higher equipment size facilitates higher productivity and hence the new opencast mines are being planned with larger equipment and higher production levels.

The collieries has so far been using 35-tonne dumpers in coal mining and 85-tonne dumper for overburden shifting. It requires a large number of dumpers, shovels and other heavy duty equipment to realise the targets set for the area that has an estimated coal reserve of 330.28 million tonnes up to a depth of 300 metres and 440 million tonnes from 300 metres to 400 metres.

Coal grade

The coal available in the two opencast and one underground mines operating in the Manuguru area is mainly of E and F grade. The technology used in the area is mainly of shovel and dumper combination for the opencast and side dumper loaders in the underground mines, according to Manuguru area Chief General Manager B. Rameshkumar.

Much of the Manuguru coal was going to customers such as the APGenco (KTPS and the RTPP), the heavy water plant at Manuguru , the Bhadrachalam Paper Boards and the A.P. Rayons.