When Rajesh Dutta joined JMS Mining seven months ago as Head of IT, he stepped into an industry where digital transformation is still finding its footing. Having spent most of his career in manufacturing and consulting, underground mining presented a stark contrast, one defined by heavy machinery, regulatory constraints, and limited digital infrastructure. Yet, for Dutta, this gap represents a significant opportunity.
“Mining as an industry is still behind when it comes to technology adoption,” Dutta says. “But that also means there is a lot that can be done—right from automating mines to bringing underground data up to the surface.”
Unlike office or factory environments, underground mining is inherently complex. Equipment operates deep below ground, connectivity is unreliable, and regulatory bodies tightly govern what technologies can be deployed. “We deal with very heavy and very costly machines underground,” Dutta explains. “At the same time, we manage people who deliver services to our customers. That combination makes technology adoption challenging, but also extremely critical.”
One of the earliest focus areas at JMS Mining has been safety and surveillance. Over the last few months, CCTV cameras have been deployed across mine sites, forming the foundation for more advanced capabilities. “We are using video analytics, and on top of that we are bringing in AI components for mine safety and security,” Dutta says. “Safety is a major concern in this industry, and technology can play a decisive role in reducing risk.”
Beyond safety, digitalisation is being positioned as a lever for operational efficiency. JMS Mining now operates its own mines, excavates coal, and sells it to the market, a shift that demands more structured processes. “There are a lot of changes needed in terms of streamlining processes and improving productivity,” Dutta notes. “That’s where IT can bring in real value.”
However, he is quick to point out that technology alone cannot drive transformation. “Any transformation journey is about people, process, and technology,” he says. “Mining is a very hands-on, rudimentary activity, and many people here are not IT-savvy. Getting them on board is one of the biggest challenges.” To address this, JMS Mining is also investing in HR automation to improve collaboration, transparency, and workforce engagement.
Dutta’s approach is shaped by his broader view of how enterprise IT has evolved over the past decade. “We moved from on-premise environments to large-scale cloud adoption, and COVID accelerated that shift dramatically,” he reflects. “After that, data became the next focus—data lakes, analytics, and extracting insights. AI is the next phase of that journey, and it’s no longer just a buzzword.”
Yet, he remains pragmatic about the current state of AI adoption. “In many organisations, AI is still in the proof-of-concept stage,” he says. “The biggest challenge is governance…how do you move from POC to production? How do you govern data properly and ensure AI delivers measurable business value?”
That uncertainty often makes investment decisions difficult. “When you invest in a POC, you don’t always know the outcome,” Dutta admits. “In our case, we ran an AI initiative for about three months, and the results didn’t fully meet management expectations. But I convinced them that this is the way forward. Transformation doesn’t always give immediate returns, but it’s necessary if we want to take the organisation to the next level.”
Bringing digital twins underground
One of the most powerful concepts Dutta sees mining borrowing from manufacturing is the digital twin. “In mining, you don’t always know what lies ahead once excavation begins,” he says. “That’s where IoT, AI, and digital twins can fundamentally change how we plan and operate mines.”
A digital twin, in his view, can act as a virtual replica of underground operations, capturing equipment behaviour, conveyor movement, environmental conditions, and machine health. “If we can create a digital representation of what’s happening underground, it becomes easier to predict failures, optimise production, and most importantly, improve safety,” Dutta explains.
However, he is clear about the dependency that underpins all advanced mining use cases. “All of this hinges on connectivity,” he says. “Without reliable data coming from underground to the surface, a digital twin remains theoretical.” This makes connectivity not just another IT problem, but the foundation of the entire digital roadmap.
Dutta points to global mining operations as proof of what is possible. “If you look at mines in Australia or South Africa, they are remotely controlled from offices,” he says. “They are effectively running a digital twin of the mine in a command centre and making decisions in real time.”
At JMS Mining,Dutta shares that this thinking is shaping the roadmap. “Our vision is to build a central command centre where we can monitor and control mining operations,” Dutta says. “Digital twins will be a critical part of that journey, allowing us to simulate scenarios before we execute them on the ground.”
Cracking the connectivity challenge
If digital twins and AI represent the destination, connectivity is the road that must be built to get there. “Connectivity is the biggest challenge for us,” Dutta says. “Getting reliable connectivity in underground mines is extremely difficult.”
To address this, JMS Mining is experimenting with multiple approaches, 5G, alternative wireless technologies, and even physical cabling, to bring data from underground operations to the surface. “We have multiple POCs running,” he explains. “If we can crack this particular problem, a lot of advanced solutions can be built on top of it.”
Asset and inventory management is another area where immediate gains are expected. “We use very heavy and very costly equipment,” Dutta says. “Managing spare parts across different sites is a major concern.” The company is addressing this through an SAP implementation, with early exploration of AI-driven use cases around inventory optimisation. “It’s still at a very nascent stage, but this is clearly the way forward.”
Looking ahead, Dutta cautions against chasing every emerging technology trend. “AI itself has a long runway,” he says. “Let’s first get value from it before jumping to the next big thing. Planning everything around POCs can become risky.”
While he acknowledges the importance of areas like blockchain and data security, his focus remains firmly grounded. “In India, AI still has enormous untapped potential,” Dutta says. “There are plenty of real use cases across industries, including mining.”
For JMS Mining, the journey from underground to intelligent operations is just beginning. It is a journey defined by experimentation, infrastructure constraints, and long-term conviction. As Dutta puts it simply, “This is the way forward, and this is how we take the organisation to the next level.”
Globally, advanced mining operations are using digital twins to simulate blast designs, optimise haul routes, predict equipment failures, and assess safety risks before workers enter hazardous zones. For Indian mining companies, digital twins could also improve regulatory compliance by enabling better traceability, transparency, and audit readiness.