ODISHA MINING TECHNOLOGY SERIES

AI & IoT in MINING

Special Reference: Bonei – Keonjhar – Koira Iron Ore Belt, Odisha

"Mining is no longer only about excavation — modern mining is driven by data, automation, intelligence, and real-time monitoring."

~50% India's Iron Ore

155 MT Annual EC Capacity

40+ Active Mines

01

Introduction to the Region

Bonei – Keonjhar – Koira Iron Ore Belt, Odisha

ODISHA

Keonjhar

Koira

Bonei

Joda-Barbil

Mining Cluster

Iron Ore Belt

⛏

One of India's Richest Iron ore belts — ~50% of India's total iron ore deposits

📍

Location Keonjhar & Sundargarh Districts, Odisha

🏭

40+ Active Mines Total EC capacity of 155.5 MTPA in Joda-Koira sector

🔩

Open-Cast Operations Large-scale bench mining with HEMM fleet

HEMM Fleet Used:

🚛 Dumpers 🦾 Excavators 🔨 Crushers ⚙ Drills 🚜 Dozers

02

Current Challenges

Problems Faced in Koira & Keonjhar Mines

Operational

Dumper breakdowns & downtime
Fuel wastage & overconsumption
Overloading of haul trucks
Delays in ore dispatch
Tyre damage on haul roads
Crusher downtime & jams

Safety

Blind spot accidents at loading
Slope failure & bench collapse
Driver fatigue (night shifts)
Dust exposure to workers
Poor visibility in rain/fog
No PPE compliance tracking

Environmental

Dust pollution at crusher zones
Noise pollution from blasting
Water management issues
Haul road deterioration
Non-compliance with DGMS
Unmonitored emissions

03

What is Artificial Intelligence?

AI Applications in Iron Ore Mining

🧠

AI enables machines to learn from data, identify patterns, and make intelligent decisions — replacing manual guesswork with data-driven precision in mining operations.

🚛

Dumper Breakdown Prediction AI predicts failures before they happen using sensor data

🛣

Haul Road Optimization Smart traffic routing reduces cycle time & fuel burn

💥

Blast Design Optimization AI models predict fragmentation & flyrock control

⚙

Crusher Performance Predictive models prevent jams and optimize throughput

📹

AI CCTV — PPE Detection Cameras detect missing helmets, vests in real-time

😴

Fatigue Monitoring Driver alertness cameras prevent night-shift accidents

04

What is IoT?

Internet of Things in Open-Cast Iron Ore Mines

IoT connects physical mining equipment to digital networks — sensors collect real-time data from machines, environment, and workers, sending it to the control room, server, or cloud.

📡 GPS Trackers Dumpers & Excavators

→

⚙ Engine Sensors Temp, Oil, Vibration

→

📍 RFID Tags Asset Tracking

→

🌡 Env. Sensors Dust, Noise, Weather

→

☁ Cloud / Server Data Processing

🛰

Fleet Tracking Systems

🌧

Weather Monitoring

⚖

Payload Sensors

🔋

Fuel Level Sensors

📶

Wireless Mesh Network

🖥

Control Room Dashboard

05

AI + IoT in Dumper Operations

Smart Dumper Management — Volvo FMX 440 & Fleet

🚛

VOLVO FMX 440

📡 GPS

⚖ Payload

⛽ Fuel

👁 Blind Spot

🌡 Engine Temp

🚨 Collision Alert

📡

GPS Tracking Real-time location, route optimization, cycle time analysis

⚖

Payload Monitoring Prevents overloading, protects tyres & suspension

⛽

Fuel Monitoring Detects idling, theft, and inefficient driving patterns

😴

Driver Behavior Fatigue detection, harsh braking, speed alerts

👁

Blind Spot Detection 360° camera system prevents loading point accidents

🚨

Collision Avoidance Proximity sensors alert driver to nearby equipment

06

Predictive Maintenance

AI-Based Maintenance System for HEMM

📊

Data Collection Vibration, engine temp, oil pressure, tyre condition, hydraulic pressure

▼

🧠

AI Analysis Machine learning models detect anomalies and degradation patterns

▼

⚠

Early Warning Alert sent to maintenance team 24–72 hours before failure

▼

🔧

Planned Repair Scheduled maintenance during shift change — zero unplanned downtime

Results in Koira & Keonjhar Mines

↓ 40% Unplanned Breakdowns

↑ 25% Machine Life

↓ 30% Maintenance Cost

↑ 20% OEE Improvement

🏭 Applied to: Crusher Plants, Excavators, Dumpers, Drill Rigs in iron ore mines

07

Smart Drilling & Blasting

AI-Optimized Blast Design for Hard Iron Ore Benches

BENCH LEVEL 1

BENCH LEVEL 2

BENCH LEVEL 3

AI-Optimized Blast Pattern

💥

Blast Pattern Optimization

AI calculates optimal hole spacing, burden, and delay timing for maximum fragmentation with minimum waste

🪨

Fragmentation Prediction

Computer vision analyzes muck pile to predict crusher feed size and optimize loading efficiency

🌊

Ground Vibration Analysis

Seismic sensors monitor blast vibration — critical for slope stability in Keonjhar mines

🛡

Flyrock Control

AI models predict and minimize flyrock distance — improves safety compliance with DGMS norms

08

AI for Mine Safety

Smart Safety Monitoring Across All Mine Zones

Loading Points

👁 Blind spot cameras 🚨 Proximity alerts 🦺 PPE detection

Haul Roads

😴 Fatigue monitoring 🚦 Speed control 🌫 Visibility alerts

Crusher Zone

🔥 Fire detection 🚷 Restricted area 💨 Dust monitoring

Workshop

🦺 PPE compliance 🔊 Noise alerts 📹 AI CCTV

🦺

PPE Detection

AI cameras detect missing helmets, vests, boots in real-time and trigger instant alerts

😴

Fatigue Monitoring

Eye-tracking cameras detect drowsiness in night-shift dumper operators

🚷

Restricted Zone Alert

Geofencing triggers alarm when workers enter blast zones or hazardous areas

🔥

Fire & Smoke Detection

Thermal cameras detect equipment fires before they escalate

09

Environmental Monitoring

IoT for Environment & Regulatory Compliance

🌫

Dust Sensors

PM2.5 & PM10 monitoring at crusher, haul roads, and loading points

SPCB Compliant

🔊

Noise Monitoring

Continuous dB measurement near blast zones and crusher plants

DGMS Compliant

💧

Water Quality

pH, turbidity, and TDS monitoring of mine drainage and nearby water bodies

MoEF Compliant

🌧

Rainfall Sensors

Real-time rainfall data for slope stability and haul road safety decisions

Safety Critical

🌡

Weather Station

Wind speed, temperature, humidity — critical for blast timing decisions

Blast Safety

💨

Air Quality Index

Continuous AQI monitoring to protect worker health and meet EC conditions

EC Condition

Regulatory Compliance:

DGMS

SPCB Odisha

MoEF

IBM Guidelines

EC Conditions

10

Smart Control Room

Centralized Mining Operations Dashboard

MINE OPERATIONS CONTROL CENTER ● LIVE

📊

Real-Time Decision Making

All mine data visible on one screen — production, safety, maintenance, dispatch

🔔

Instant Alert System

Automated alerts for breakdowns, safety violations, and environmental breaches

📈

Production Analytics

Shift-wise, daily, and monthly production reports generated automatically

🌐

Remote Monitoring

Mine managers can monitor operations from anywhere via mobile dashboard

11

Digital Twin & Future Mines

Future Smart Mining in Odisha — The Road Ahead

NOW

Connected Mining

GPS, IoT sensors, AI dashboards, CCTV analytics

2026–28

Smart Mining

Digital Twin, 5G networks, drone surveys, remote operations

2030+

Autonomous Mining

Self-driving haul trucks, robotic drilling, fully digital mine

🤖 Robotics

Automated drilling & loading

🚁 Drones

Aerial survey & stockpile measurement

📡 5G Mines

Ultra-low latency connectivity

🧠 Digital Twin

Virtual replica of entire mine

🚛 Autonomous Haulage

Self-driving dumpers on haul roads

🛰 Remote Operations

Control mine from city office

12

Benefits for Bonei–Koira Region

Impact of AI & IoT on Iron Ore Mining Operations

📈

Increased Production

Optimized fleet dispatch and reduced downtime increases ore output by 15–25%

⛽

Reduced Fuel Consumption

Smart routing and idle-time reduction cuts fuel costs by 10–20%

🦺

Better Safety

AI monitoring reduces LTI frequency and improves DGMS compliance

🚨

Reduced Accidents

Blind spot detection and fatigue monitoring prevent fatal incidents

🌿

Environmental Compliance

Real-time monitoring ensures EC conditions and SPCB norms are met

🔧

Reduced Maintenance Cost

Predictive maintenance reduces spare parts cost and emergency repairs

⚙

Higher Equipment Efficiency

OEE improvement of 20–30% across HEMM fleet

📊

Data-Driven Decisions

Management gets real-time insights instead of end-of-shift reports

13–14

Challenges & Conclusion

The Path Forward for Bonei–Keonjhar–Koira Belt

⚠ Implementation Challenges

💰

High Investment Cost

Initial CAPEX for sensors, software, and infrastructure

📶

Network Connectivity

Remote mine locations in Koira face internet/4G limitations

👷

Skilled Manpower

Shortage of trained personnel for AI/IoT system operation

🔒

Cybersecurity Risk

Connected systems require robust data protection protocols

🤝

Change Resistance

Traditional workforce needs training and change management

🏆

Conclusion

AI and IoT are transforming traditional iron ore mining into smart mining. For the Bonei–Keonjhar–Koira mining belt, these technologies can:

✅ Improve safety across all mine zones
✅ Increase productivity and ore output
✅ Reduce environmental impact
✅ Modernize HEMM fleet management
✅ Ensure regulatory compliance

"The future of mining in the Bonei–Keonjhar–Koira belt is smart, safe, sustainable, and technology-driven."