Zawar Group of Mines

Steered by the goal of responsible and sustainable growth, Zawar Mines (ZM) has surged innovatively forward towards continuous expansion and sustained productivity. With its roots going back to the pre-digitalisation era, this group of four mines – Mochia, Balaria, Zawarmala and Baroi – has consistently raised the bar of innovation to optimise its mining processes and boost efficiencies. Since its first expansion in 2013, ZM has progressively ramped up its production, and delivered 4.03 Mt in FY 2023-24. The ore production capacity at ZM is planned to be increased progressively, to 5.0 Mtpa by FY 2024-25. Based on the R&R potential, the vision is to take it up to 6.5 Mtpa by FY 2025-26.
Image of two miners in safety gear and helmets walking through an illuminated underground tunnel. The tunnel's rocky walls and overhead lights create a focused and industrious atmosphere.
An aerial view of an open-pit mine with terraced excavation levels. The site is surrounded by mountainous terrain and shows various pathways and equipment for mining operations.
KEY OPERATIONAL MILESTONES OF FY 2023-24

FY 2023-24 proved to be a milestone year for ZM, which achieved the highest ever metal in concentrate (MIC) of 179 kt. It also successfully commenced mining the secondary stopes in Mochia Mine and the left-out pillars in Zawarmala Mine through backfilling. These developments are expected to significantly enhance the production levels at ZM in the coming years.

4.03 Mt

Ore Production

4.86 %

Grade

179 kt

Mined Metal Production

31 km

Mine Development

Hindustan Zinc’s transformative work culture, coupled with the constant support and guidance from seniors and peers, has bolstered my confidence and enabled my professional development over the past 7 years.

Kripali Gehlot Shift Incharge E & I, Crusher Mill 1

RAISING THE PERFORMANCE BAR

During the year, ZM delivered significant improvements and innovations to boost efficiencies and scale growth. These included:

  • Stage mining in S1 lens at Balaria Mine (4 kt MIC); stope recovery improvement from 45% to 95%, and reduction in external dilution from 120% to 8%
  • Innovative mining of the eastern lens at Baroi Mine by implementing narrow vein mining practices
  • Significant improvement in grade through design optimisation and dilution control, leading to the achievement of the highest grade of 4.80% in five years
  • Optimisation in block design of BK series at Baroi, for pre-commissioning of block with huge savings in development
  • Substantial improvement in paste-filling post filling of the voids; reported the highest filling in a single month to maximise ore extraction from pillar
  • Highest ever production per month of 79.30 kt achieved from Balaria incline in February 2024
  • 91.80% overall recovery achieved, with continuous improvement in beneficiation process
  • Improvement in silver (Ag) recovery - achieved 80.90% Ag recovery by introducing silver promoter and using specialist chemical, which in turn improved the silver selectivity

BOOSTING EFFICIENCIES & PRODUCTIVITY

  • Digitally-enabled visibility of equipment utilisation, to improve effective utilisation and to identify & minimise idling in Mochia & Baroi
  • Completed 6 km leaky feeder network extension in Mochia, Balaria and Zawarmala under phase 1

SUSTAINED EXPANSION & DEVELOPMENT

  • Grizzly installation at Zawarmala, Mochia & Balaria Mines to improve throughput to underground crusher
  • New portal commissioned at Zawarmala Mine, enabling it to achieve the highest ever production and further enhancement in production capacity from 0.45 Mtpa to 0.80 Mtpa
  • Implementation of shallow angle exploratory rig from surface, to explore shallow depth potential
  • Man-winder upgradation of Zawarmala for infrastructure and safety improvement
  • Load scan installed for Zawarmala’s new portal to ensure 100% auto production booking

ENSURING A SAFE WORKING ENVIRONMENT

  • Skip interlock switch installed with no-go line at 430 mRL at Zawarmala
  • Fully enclosed chute and replacement of skit plate done to reduce dust emission and spillage at Mill 1
  • Scada system implemented for remote switching of 33 KV and 11 KV breakers at mobile response and stabilisation service (MRSS)
  • Successfully commissioned rammer to reduce secondary blasting
  • Area developed for safe & designated heavy earth moving machinery (HEMM) parking at Mochia-Balaria portal
  • Audio visual warning, based on laser sensor, installed at Mochia grizzly to detect and warn during movement of equipment and person
  • Cameras installed on both sides of development drill jumbo, for blind spot area elimination

CASE STUDY

Heavy Earth Moving Machinery Idle Time Reduction with Machine Max System

To minimise their idling time, vibration sensors were installed in 33 low-profile dump trucks (LPDTs) of Baroi, Balaria and Mochia Mines during FY 2023-24. Besides reducing the idling of LPDTs, this digital initiative was aimed at generating cost savings for the mines.

Key features
  • Shift-wise and mine-wise reports from the vibration sensors being circulated on a daily basis
  • Periodic war room discussions being held with mine managers and shift foreman, regarding top idling trucks on key actions to be taken for the improvement, and for ensuring sustainability of the sensors, gateway and system
Key outcome
  • Idle time reduction in LPDTs, with use of AI-ML based sensor, and drill down analysis made available on the dashboard
  • Total benefit of around ₹ 2.50 crore generated during FY 2023-24
  • Horizontal deployment in loaders successfully done in October 2023 and total benefit of ₹ 9.75 lakhs generated in 3 months

Our prime focus at Zawar Group of Mines in FY 2023-24 has been our unwavering commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles, driving our strategic decisions and operational excellence. Achieving a remarkable 9% upsurge in year-on-year growth and surpassing the highest MIC grade, underscores our dedication to these principles. Additionally, our adherence to Hindustan Zinc’s ethos of low cost and high volume resulted in a significant 20% reduction in costs while maintaining production levels, showcasing our commitment to responsible resource management. Safety remains paramount, ingrained in every operational facet, and sustainability guides our actions towards environmental stewardship and enduring social impact. As responsible corporate citizens, we prioritise community development initiatives, fostering prosperity and empowering the communities we serve through targeted investments and partnerships. Looking ahead, our vision for Zawar remains ambitious yet firmly grounded in our corporate values, as we pledge to pursue sustainable growth while upholding our ethical obligations. Together, we continue to script Zawar’s narrative – one characterised by excellence, stewardship, and impact.

Ram Murari
CEO, IBU Zawar Group of Mines

CASE STUDY

4,000 KLD Zero Liquid Discharge Plant Installed

To ensure optimal performance of the dry tailing filtration system, Zawar Mines had to upgrade the quality of recycled water in order to reduce its dependence on water from Tidi Dam for the preparation of reagents and seal water in the ore beneficiation plant. We approached water treatment consultants to find a solution for maintaining the quality of the recycled water at par with fresh water. Based on their water sample analysis and study report, we constructed a 4,000 KLD zero liquid discharge (ZLD) plant at the mines.

Key features
  • High-rate solids contact clarifier
  • Reverse osmosis (RO) system
  • 10,000 KL water storage tank
Key outcome
  • Significant reduction in water intake from Tidi dam
  • Reduction in specific water consumption of ore beneficiation plant from 0.20 m3/MT to 0.075 m3/MT
  • Improved quality parameters of recycled (clarified and RO) water as follows:
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
  • Zawar Mill & Baroi Mine won 1st & 2nd prize under ‘Mill Overall’ & ‘Mine Overall’ categories respectively at 47th Mines Safety Week 2023
  • ZM obtained Greenco Silver rating certification from Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
  • ZM won the CII National Award for Environmental Best Practices at Site for Asia’s 1nd dry tailing plant
  • ZM Safety Officer & Rescue Trained Person, bagged ‘Best Captain in Metal Mine Category’ award at the 52nd All India Mine Rescue Competition, held under the aegis of Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS)
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