Strata Control for Mechanized Stopping Operation in Narrow and Weak Manganese Deposit of MOIL – A Case Study of Balaghat Mine

AbstractMOIL is producing annually around 1.13 million tones of manganese ore. It operates 7 underground and 3 opencast mines in the state of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The underground mines are operated at shallow to moderate depths. Asia's largest and oldest underground manganese mine is being operated by MOIL at Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh. Horizontal cut and fill mining with passive timber square set support has been replaced with advanced technique of pre-mining support by Cable bolting for reinforcement underground structures. The change in technology has enabled to transform the manual post filling of rock to hydraulic sand stowing operation in all the underground mines of the MOIL. With the available underground stopes, the panel working has been started with phased mechanization. The Side discharge loaders (SDL) has been introduced for mechanical handling of ROM in the stope and Load, haul and dump (LHD) machines for drivage development. These rapid mining operations have imposed the need for change in level interval for higher productivity. Presently below 12th level, level interval has been changed from exiting 30m to 45m at Balaghat Mine. Moreover, Single boomer electro hydrostatic crawler mounted drill jumbo has been introduced for drivage development at Balaghat Mine. The paper describes the phased rock mechanics investigations and its application in the underground mining for mechanized stoping operations at Balaghat mine of MOIL for better safety and productivity

Modeling the effects of insecticides and external efforts on crop production

In this paper a nonlinear mathematical model is proposed and analyzed to understand the effects of insects, insecticides and external efforts on the agricultural crop productions. In the modeling process, we have assumed that crops grow logistically and decrease due to insects, which are wholly dependent on crops. Insecticides and external efforts are applied to control the insect population and enhance the crop production, respectively. The external efforts affect the intrinsic growth rate and carrying capacity of crop production. The feasibility of equilibria and their stability properties are discussed. We have identified the key parameters for the formulation of effective control strategies necessary to combat the insect population and increase the crop production using the approach of global sensitivity analysis. Numerical simulation is performed, which supports the analytical findings. It is shown that periodic oscillations arise through Hopf bifurcation as spraying rate of insecticides decreases. Our findings suggest that to gain the desired crop production, the rate of spraying and the quality of insecticides with proper use of external efforts are much important

DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING APPROACH TO TESTING RESOURCE ALLOCATION PROBLEM FOR MODULAR SOFTWARE

Testing phase of a software begins with module testing. During this period modules are tested independently to remove maximum possible number of faults within a specified time limit or testing resource budget. This gives rise to some interesting optimization problems, which are discussed in this paper. Two Optimization models are proposed for optimal allocation of testing resources among the modules of a Software. In the first model, we maximize the total fault removal, subject to budgetary Constraint. In the second model, additional constraint representing aspiration level for fault removals for each module of the software is added. These models are solved using dynamic programming technique. The methods have been illustrated through numerical examples

Analyzing crop production: Unraveling the impact of pests and pesticides through a fractional model

The continuous growth of the human population raises concerns about food, fiber, and agricultural insecurity. Meeting the escalating demand for agricultural products due to this population surge makes protecting crops from pests becomes imperative. While farmers use chemical pesticides as crop protectors, the extensive use of these chemicals adversely affects both human health and the environment. In this research work, we formulate a nonlinear mathematical model using the Caputo fractional (CF) operator to investigate the effects of pesticides on crop yield dynamics. We assume that pesticides are sprayed proportional to the density of pest density and pests not entirely reliant on crops. The feasibility of every possible nonnegative equilibrium and its stability characteristics are explored utilizing the stability theory of fractional differential equations. Our model analysis reveals that in a continuous spray approach, the roles of pesticide abatement rate and pesticide uptake rate can be interchanged. Furthermore, we have identified the optimal time profile for pesticide spraying rate. This profile proves effective in minimizing both the pest population and the associated costs. To provide a practical illustration of our analytical findings and to showcase the impact of key parameters on the system’s dynamics, we conducted numerical simulations. These simulations are conducted employing the generalized Adams–Bashforth–Moulton method, which allowed us to vividly demonstrate the real-world implications of our research

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Cultivation in Bihar, India: Economic Potential and Condition for Adoption

The MAPs provide opportunities for developing a variety of safe and cost effective, prophylactic, and curative medicines for a number of maladies. It is estimated that the primary health care of over 80 per cent of the world’s population still depends on plant based traditional medicines (WHO, 2002). Growing consciousness about health and side effects of modern medicines has again set the stage for innovation and use of herbal medicines. The global market for herbal products is continuously expanding and it is expected to touch the mark of US$5 trillion by the year 2050, from the US$ 62 billion in 2004 (Purohit and Vyas, 2004). Despite being a major player, the share of India in global trade of MAPs is merely 0.5 per cent, whereas the countries, like China exports plants and raw drugs, therapeutics and other MAPs worth Rs 18,000 crores annually. The MAPs provide opportunities for developing a variety of safe and cost effective, prophylactic, and curative medicines for a number of maladies. It is estimated that the primary health care of over 80 per cent of the world’s population still depends on plant based traditional medicines (WHO, 2002). Growing consciousness about health and side effects of modern medicines has again set the stage for innovation and use of herbal medicines. The global market for herbal products is continuously expanding and it is expected to touch the mark of US$5 trillion by the year 2050, from the US$ 62 billion in 2004 (Purohit and Vyas, 2004). Despite being a major player, the share of India in global trade of MAPs is merely 0.5 per cent, whereas the countries, like China exports plants and raw drugs, therapeutics and other MAPs worth Rs 18,000 crores annually. Formal bio-partnerships between certified farmers and Ayurvedic pharmaceutical companies, like Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan, Patna; Ayurved Shri Herbals Ltd, Ahmedabad, Fragrance Herbs, Patna needs to be explored. The arrangement should ensure farmers with a guaranteed market and a fixed fair price for their harvest, in exchange for exclusive rights to the produce as the sole buyer. The other agencies like departments of Forest, Agriculture, Horticulture, Health and Family Welfare can come together to offer technical, market related and other input supply services to the various stake holders so that sector as a whole can grow and dependence on outside sources for primary health care is minimized. Use of farmer Interest Groups for dissemination of technology and market information can also be explored in the state

Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Cultivation in Bihar, India: Economic Potential and Condition for Adoption

The MAPs provide opportunities for developing a variety of safe and cost effective, prophylactic, and curative medicines for a number of maladies. It is estimated that the primary health care of over 80 per cent of the world’s population still depends on plant based traditional medicines (WHO, 2002). Growing consciousness about health and side effects of modern medicines has again set the stage for innovation and use of herbal medicines. The global market for herbal products is continuously expanding and it is expected to touch the mark of US$5 trillion by the year 2050, from the US$ 62 billion in 2004 (Purohit and Vyas, 2004). Despite being a major player, the share of India in global trade of MAPs is merely 0.5 per cent, whereas the countries, like China exports plants and raw drugs, therapeutics and other MAPs worth Rs 18,000 crores annually. The MAPs provide opportunities for developing a variety of safe and cost effective, prophylactic, and curative medicines for a number of maladies. It is estimated that the primary health care of over 80 per cent of the world’s population still depends on plant based traditional medicines (WHO, 2002). Growing consciousness about health and side effects of modern medicines has again set the stage for innovation and use of herbal medicines. The global market for herbal products is continuously expanding and it is expected to touch the mark of US$5 trillion by the year 2050, from the US$ 62 billion in 2004 (Purohit and Vyas, 2004). Despite being a major player, the share of India in global trade of MAPs is merely 0.5 per cent, whereas the countries, like China exports plants and raw drugs, therapeutics and other MAPs worth Rs 18,000 crores annually. Formal bio-partnerships between certified farmers and Ayurvedic pharmaceutical companies, like Baidyanath Ayurved Bhawan, Patna; Ayurved Shri Herbals Ltd, Ahmedabad, Fragrance Herbs, Patna needs to be explored. The arrangement should ensure farmers with a guaranteed market and a fixed fair price for their harvest, in exchange for exclusive rights to the produce as the sole buyer. The other agencies like departments of Forest, Agriculture, Horticulture, Health and Family Welfare can come together to offer technical, market related and other input supply services to the various stake holders so that sector as a whole can grow and dependence on outside sources for primary health care is minimized. Use of farmer Interest Groups for dissemination of technology and market information can also be explored in the state

Critical Current Properties in Longitudinal Magnetic Field of YBCO Superconductor with APC

The critical current density (Jc) properties of the Artificial Pinning Center (APC) introduced YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) films in the longitudinal magnetic field were measured. Y2O3 or Y2BaCuO5 (Y211) was introduced as APCs to YBCO, and YBCO films with APC were fabricated on SrTiO3 single crystal substrate. The sizes of Y2O3 and Y211 were 5—10 nm and 10—20 nm, respectively. As a result, Jc enhancement in the longitudinal magnetic field was observed in Y2O3 introduced YBCO films. However, it was not observed in Y211 introduced YBCO films. Therefore, it was considered that Jc properties in the longitudinal magnetic field were affected by introducing of small size APC, and it was necessary that APC does not disturb the current pathway in the superconductor.28th International Symposium on Superconductivity, ISS 2015, November 16-18, 2015, Tokyo, Japa

Wholesale Milk Markets: A Study of Market Integration in Indian Markets

Market integration is an important determinant of responsiveness and behavior of the markets needed to formulate price policies. Indian wholesale milk markets are correlated with varying degrees of integration. Paper uses monthly wholesale prices of milk for the period from April 1997 to December 2009 for 5 major market centres viz. Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Kanpur. Prices were converted into real prices by deflating with wholesale price index of all commodities. Extent of integration among different markets is tested using method and procedure for testing co-integration suggested by Johansen (1991, 1995), and Johansen and Juselius (1990) and Engle and Granger (1987). Results reveal that milk markets of Kolkata and Mumbai are critical to sustaining long-run equilibrium which had strong bearings on the prices of other three markets viz, Delhi, Kanpur and Chennai. The speed of error correction for Kolkata and Mumbai markets are relatively faster than that of others and Kolkata and Mumbai markets can reinstate the long-run equilibrium quickly if appropriate error correction measures are taken

Wholesale Milk Markets: A Study of Market Integration in Indian Markets

Market integration is an important determinant of responsiveness and behavior of the markets needed to formulate price policies. Indian wholesale milk markets are correlated with varying degrees of integration. Paper uses monthly wholesale prices of milk for the period from April 1997 to December 2009 for 5 major market centres viz. Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Kanpur. Prices were converted into real prices by deflating with wholesale price index of all commodities. Extent of integration among different markets is tested using method and procedure for testing co-integration suggested by Johansen (1991, 1995), and Johansen and Juselius (1990) and Engle and Granger (1987). Results reveal that milk markets of Kolkata and Mumbai are critical to sustaining long-run equilibrium which had strong bearings on the prices of other three markets viz, Delhi, Kanpur and Chennai. The speed of error correction for Kolkata and Mumbai markets are relatively faster than that of others and Kolkata and Mumbai markets can reinstate the long-run equilibrium quickly if appropriate error correction measures are taken