Supply Of Raw Materials Research Articles

Methods of Balancing Technological Systems of Multiproduct Production

The functioning of the machine-building industry has its specifics, particularly periodic changes in the range (size, configuration, and others) of manufactured products. In addition, it is essential to consider the need to reduce the time spent on the production of each unit. Almost continuous changes in technology, failures in the supply of raw materials, uncoordinated logistics, and many other factors often cause significant and unproductive costs, leading to an increase in the technological stage. The most promising direction to reduce the technological time of manufacturing products by multiproduct enterprises is to reduce the waiting time owing to the uniform distribution of each technological transition according to the state of the available workshop equipment (plant, production area, enterprise). This study proposes a novel model of technological systems that enables the adaptation of technological processes for part manufacturing and comprises data structures that define their technical capabilities. The proposed algorithm facilitates a reduction in downtime and an increase in equipment utilization factor. It is possible to optimize the technological processes that change the structure of each production operation to adapt to the existing technology. Testing this methodology demonstrated a significant increase of 8% in the process utilization rate of machinery.

Comprehensive Method for Supplier Selection in the Indonesian Leather Industry Considering Sustainable Development Goals Criteria

Objective: This pivotal research aims to rank raw material suppliers at an Indonesian leather company using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). It is based on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) criteria selected by many decision-makers through the Delphi method, with a compromise criteria weight between Methods based on Removal Effects of Criteria (MEREC) and Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) II. Theoretical Framework: The global and national commitments of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to improving society's welfare, including the sustainable use of resources, are not just theoretical concepts. They are practically applied in this research to guide supplier selection in the leather industry. These criteria are then weighted using objective weighting (MEREC) and subjective weighting (SWARA) II, and the results are compromised to form the basis for evaluating suppliers using TOPSIS. Method: The proposed method in this research consists of three stages. The first stage is selecting the SDGs criteria using the Delphi method, a structured communication technique involving experts. The second stage is weighting the criteria using MEREC for objective weighting and SWARA II for subjective weighting. The third stage is supplier evaluation using TOPSIS based on the weight of the compromised criteria. Results and Discussion: The ranking of leather raw material suppliers for Indonesian leather companies is Kediri, Rembang, Jombang, Cirebon, Wonogiri, Lumajang, Cianjur, and Sidoarjo. This ranking is based on the SDGs criteria. Responsible leather sourcing, eco-friendly tanning processes, water use audits, and waste management are the SDGs' criteria for selecting suppliers in the Indonesian leather industry. Responsible leather sourcing is the only sustainability criterion more important than the price criterion. This criterion directly affects the quality of the animal skin, which is why it is rejected. Research Implications: The manager should prioritize the SDGs criteria, such as the product's significance to the organization's survival over cost and other factors, which have become secondary due to high demand. Apart from rejecting and delivery factors, management also considers responsible leather sourcing. This means that good animal care impacts the reject factor, and management prioritizes this factor. The rejection criterion must be prioritized for the production process to operate efficiently. Originality/Value: It is imperative to establish a technique for managers in the Indonesian leather sector to choose sustainability suppliers incorporating Delphi, MEREC, SWARA II, and TOPSIS.

URBAN SATURATION IN ALGERIAN CITIES: FACTORS AND TREATMENT METHODS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF URBAN SUSTAINABILITY: A CASE STUDY OF THE CITY OF TÉBESSA

Throughout history, cities have undergone transformations due to social, urban, environmental, and economic changes, which have contributed to altering their shape, and growth patterns. This evolution has led to continuous urban expansion in response to the increasing needs of the population, resulting in boundless urban sprawl. The constant effort to provide urban services has driven the integration of new land areas within the framework of urban expansion, often at the expense of the surrounding rural areas, which serve as the city's main life source. These rural areas are the primary base for urban expansion and simultaneously the main supplier of labor and raw materials. Currently, urban expansion in Algerian cities, in general, and in Tebessa in particular, poses challenges in urban development and planning. This situation calls for exploring alternative approaches when natural or human barriers prevent the optimal use of urban land in alignment with the city’s needs, leading to urban saturation. These approaches should consider the principles of sustainable urban development and rely on tools focused on protecting natural resources within and around the city, as cities are not only the main threat to the natural environment but also the first victims of its degradation.

The role of the construction industry in the recovery of processing enterprises during the crisis

The article discusses the consequences of the crisis period for the work of processing enterprises in Ukraine. It is established that hostilities on the territory of our state and general instability lead to a decrease in production and force processing enterprises to cease their activities. Many enterprises are experiencing serious financial difficulties due to work restrictions, problems with the supply of raw materials, and the loss of industrial facilities. In the summer of 2022, the percentage of companies that closed or were in the process of ceasing operations was 46.8 %. A significant consequence of the war for the Ukrainian economy at the moment is the rapid changes in the territorial location and the change in the symmetry of the processing industry of Ukraine. The war also affected the sectoral structure of the processing industry, producing significant shifts and changes in the volume of products sold. The current political situation in Ukraine and the severance of business chains with the temporarily occupied territories require processing enterprises to search for new markets for products, sources of supply of raw materials, change logistics links, increase the production of raw materials and their own products. During the study, it was found that certain key aspects of the impact on the activities of processing enterprises were previously insufficiently studied. It is determined that the construction industry is of critical importance for the processing industry of the State during the crisis, which is designed to contribute to the recovery of this industry: to develop infrastructure, to build and modernize production facilities, which allows to introduce new technologies and optimize production processes, to improve the conditions of production itself, to build energy facilities to provide processing enterprises with stable and affordable energy supply, to apply modern construction technologies that will create environmentally friendly and energy-efficient production. For the restoration and development of the processing industry of Ukraine, taking into account the impact of the construction industry, we propose to apply the following measures: widespread implementation of the enterprise relocation program with the expansion of state support; the use of state programs for the reconstruction of property and lending, the development of international communications and the European vector for the recovery of the post-war industry based on the ESG concept and the principles of building back better, compliance with the principles of energy efficiency and energy saving, and the application of decarbonization measures. These tools are designed to provide stimulating processes in the processing industry to achieve and exceed the prewar level of the volume of competitive and high-quality products. The development of the construction industry plays an important role in the restoration of processing enterprises in Ukraine, so it is important to create favorable conditions for their cooperation, to develop comprehensive development strategies aimed at ensuring sustainable economic growth and support.

Financing the capital-constrained farmer under random yield and investment information asymmetry: bank credit versus trade credit

PurposeFinancing the capital-constrained farmers to facilitate the production of agri-products is one of the greatest challenges facing the farming supply chain in the developing countries. In this study, we investigate the optimal financing scheme for the farming supply chain under random yield and investment information asymmetry environment to support rural economic development.Design/methodology/approachWe analyze a stylized model of farming supply chain where the capital-constrained farmer produces and sells agri-products through the agribusiness firm, and investigate the optimal financing scheme incorporating the investment information asymmetry and the challenge of yield uncertainty.FindingsThe results show that there is no one financing scheme equilibrium dominates for all situations, the financing scheme equilibrium is affected by the bank’s supervision cost to monitor the farmer’s moral hazard behavior, the variance of random yield and the farmer’s initial capital. The preference of the financing scheme for the agribusiness firm may be different from that for the farmer. The agribusiness firm might suffer from overfinancing problem under trade credit financing when the bank’s supervision cost is larger and the farmer’s own initial capital is lower; the higher variance of random yield will flare up the effect.Practical implicationsThis study sheds light on the choice of financing scheme under random yield and investment information asymmetry environment. This problem is particularly important for developing economies. Financing the capital-constrained farmers not only increases supplies of food and industrial raw materials, but also reduces poverty. The findings provide managerial implications for practitioners for how to leverage different financing scheme to support rural economic development.Originality/valueThis study develops new theoretical model for farming supply chain financing incorporating the challenge of yield uncertainty and investment information asymmetry, the two prominent factors that would impact the financial risk significantly. We analyze the equilibrium under both bank financing and trade credit financing schemes, and the results suggest that the financing scheme equilibrium is affected by the bank’s supervision cost to monitor the farmer’s moral hazard behavior, the variance of random yield and the farmer’s initial capital. The agribusiness firm might suffer from overfinancing problem under trade credit financing.

Towards the bioleaching of bauxite residue by gluconobacter oxydans.

This project evaluated a biologically-mediated strategy to solubilize several rare earth elements and critical raw materials, including scandium, from bauxite residue. This work seeks to expand on previous research on contact leaching with bauxite. In this study, Gluconobacter oxydans was shown to secrete mixed organic acids, including gluconic acid, which was superior to pure gluconic acid in the dissolution of bauxite residue, even at low molarities. In situ contact leaching with G. oxydans significantly promoted the dissolution yield (recovery of metal present in the ore) of yttrium, aluminum, calcium, and titanium (41.18, 67.79, 80.16 and 59.41%, respectively) but allowed for only marginal dissolution yield of scandium, lanthanum, cerium, and neodymium (13.40, 14.74, 24.41 and 10.67%, respectively) at relatively low pulp densities. In addition, the dissolution yields of rare earth elements were reduced further with time, presumably as the oxides of these elements fell out of solution. This work builds on previous research that seeks to extract rare earth elements and critical raw materials from bauxite residue through contact leaching with organic acids. Some elements such as yttrium, aluminum, calcium, and titanium could be effectively solubilized, however some elements showed reduced solubility, possibly due to tight association with the iron phase of the residue. However, the relative ease and speed of leaching, and suggestions for improved solubilization suggest this could be a viable method for securing critical raw material supplies.

Основные направления и инструменты политики низкоуглеродного развития Бразилии

Brazil has a strong potential to achieve national climate goals and can also be an important decarbonization partner for other countries, especially in the supply of green hydrogen and critical raw materials for the production of new climate- neutral technologies. This article highlights the main tools and policies for Brazilʼs decarbonization and identifies potential areas in which the country can not only achieve its nationally determined contributions (NDCs), but also ensure innovative green economic growth. Low carbon intensity energy sources can ensure a low carbon footprint for industrial products, which can make goods more attractive in the face of increasing requirements and the introduction of measures such as the European Unionʼs (EU) carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM). Extensive deployment of renewable energy creates opportunities for the country to produce sustainable hydrogen, which will be in demand both domestically and globally. The main challenge for Brazilʼs decarbonization is its extensive agriculture, as well as widespread deforestation, the rate of which increased under the Bolsonaro administration. For agricultural products,which make up a large share of exports, deforestation regulations like those adopted in the EU would be a real barrier and could close European and other markets. The min- ing and processing of critical raw materials could be a potential breakthrough for the countryʼs economic growth due to the widespread decarbonization of the global economy. The low carbon intensity of the countryʼs industry, including mining, due to renewable energy sources appears to be a significant advantage. Lulaʼs return has given the international community hope that, at least in forestry and agriculture, significant efforts can be expected from Brazil, including international support, financing, and auditing.

Improving the mechanical property of silk by feeding silkworm with chiral carbon dots

The influence of chiral materials on organisms is crucial. However, there is little research on the impact of chiral carbon dots (CDs), a kind of typical chiral materials, on biology. Herein, chiral CDs (L-/D-CDs) were synthesized using the thermal polymerization method from citric acid and chiral cysteine. The effect of chiral CDs on silkworms was explored through feeding silkworms with chiral CDs. The breaking strength of silk fibers (667.9 MPa) in D-CDs group exhibit a 71.4 % increase compared with control-silk (389.5 MPa), while the breaking strength of silk fibers in L-CDs group increases by 51.6 %. In addition, Fourier transform infrared spectra display CDs can prevent the transformation from random coil/α-helix structures to β-sheet structures. Furthermore, D-CDs group exhibit the highest percentage of four primary amino acids (glycine, alanine, serine, and tyrosine) relative to the total amino acids in silkworm hemolymph. This percentage is elevated by 70.5 % compared to the control group, thereby furnishing an ample supply of raw materials for the synthesis of silk proteins. In contrast, L-CDs group exhibits increase by 39.3 %. Our work provides new ideas and approaches for studying the effects of chiral materials on living organisms.

The Effect of Lean Manufacturing on Production / Operation for the Small and Medium Enterprise in Malaysia

At the start of 2022, the government announced its focus on supporting the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to improve living standards following the COVID-19 pandemic. SMEs contribute significantly to the national economy, with the clothing industry playing a major role. This research applies lean manufacturing techniques to enhance the performance of SMEs in the clothing sector, specifically in T-shirt printing. Therefore the first objective was to collect, analyze processing times and recording of all issues encountered during production. The second objective involved using value stream mapping (VSM) to analyze the T-shirt printing process from raw material supply to finished product packaging. We also employed a why-why analysis to pinpoint the underlying causes of inefficiencies and devise specific solutions. The last objective focused on process improvement using VSM, along with the Kanban system, 5S and Make to Stock (MTS) to optimize block preparation and T-shirt printing. We selected Flexsilk Printshop as the case study. The findings showed a 66.59 % reduction in waiting time, a 30.77 % improvement in lead time, an increase in overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) from 93.3 to 97.45 % and a 50.41 % increase in efficiency.

Penerapan Metode Just In Time dalam Upaya Meningkatkan Efisiensi Biaya Produksi Optimal pada UD. Rambak Dudung di Desa Ambal Ambil

A trading business is a business that is engaged in buying and selling products. Trading businesses can engage in various types of products that are sold for consumer, business, or government purposes. One of them is UD. Rambak Dudung is trying to buy raw materials in large quantities to keep in store if the supply runs out and demand in the market increases. With the excess of raw materials, it can cause storage costs, which can reduce UD's profits. aforementioned. So this shows that the supply of raw materials is a fairly big problem. This study aims to determine the application of the Just in time method to UD. Rambak Dudung and knew the role of the Just in time method in improving production cost efficiency in UD. Rambak Dudung. The type of research used is a descriptive method with a quantitative approach. Data collection was carried out by interviews, internet searches and library studies. The data processed is the purchase and use of raw materials. The calculation technique used is to calculate the total production cost based on company policies, the EOQ method, and the JIT/EOQ method. Based on the results of the calculation, it was concluded that the inventory policy carried out by the company has not been maximally seen from the total production costs incurred of Rp.5,853,500,- compared to the JIT/EOQ method of Rp.2,588,436,- so that the total cost saved is Rp.3,265,064.

The Strategy of Agroindustry Development of Teng-Teng Apel (A Case Study on Hilwa Nusantara Shop in Batu City)

This study is conducted by purpose of identifying company environment and analyzing the strategy for agroindustry development of Teng-Teng Apel (cake made from apple fruit) in Hilwa Nusantara Shop in Batu City. The methods of data analysis used in this study are internal and external company analysis, Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix, External Factor Evaluation (EFE), SWOT analysis, and Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM) analysis. The results of the study have showed that SWOT analysis indicates IFAS score 2.84 and EFAS value 2.94. Moreover, agroindustry position of Teng-Teng Apel of Hilwa Nusantara Shop is at Quadrant One (I). Based on company position, there are three alternative strategies, 1. To increase production capacity and quality using technology, 2. To extend market in developing sales volume, and 3. To maintain relationship and trust with raw material suppliers. First becomes first priority for Hilwa Nusantara with TAS value 5.49.

Crispy squid product development (Case Study: PT. Cupa-Cupa Snack) Pangandaran Regency

PT Cupa-Cupa Snack is a company in Pangandaran that processes fishery products into snack products, one of which is crispy squid. The number of crispy squid producers in Indonesia is a challenge for companies to develop products to produce innovations that suit market needs and maintain competitiveness. The purpose of this study was to analyze the product development carried out by the cupa-cupa snack company. The study was conducted from August to October 2024. The research method used was the survey method, with interview techniques and observations of crispy squid products that were analyzed descriptively and qualitatively. The results showed that the company has developed in various aspects, such as the addition of raw material suppliers from various regions, the use of faster and more modern production equipment and processes, changing the formulation of non-msg additives that are safe for consumption, using quality aluminum foil packaging, increasing flavor variants, and business-to-business marketing that maintains good and consistent digital presence techniques on various social media, such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, to increase market share and company competitiveness.

Recovery of Barium, Nickel, and Titanium Powders from Waste MLCC

The development of the electronics industry has led to an increased demand for the manufacture of MLCC (Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors), which in turn is expected to result in a rise in MLCC waste. The MLCC contains various metals, notably barium, titanium, and nickel, whose disposal is anticipated to increase correspondingly. Recently, recycling technologies for electronic waste have garnered attention as they address waste management and raw material supply challenges. This paper investigates the recovery of barium, nickel, and titanium from the MLCC by a hydrometallurgical process. Using citric acid, which is an organic acid, the metal inside the MLCC was leached. Additionally, metal materials were recovered through precipitation and complexing processes. As a result, barium and titanium were recovered from the leachate of the waste MLCC, and 93% of the nickel-based powder was recovered. Furthermore, the optimal recovery process conditions for recycling these metal elements were investigated.

EVALUATION OF LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT IN FURNITURE MANUFACTURING USING THE ANALYTICAL HIERARCHY PROCESS

Environmental issues in the furniture industry are of great importance due to the use of natural materials, such as wood and chemical substances like adhesives and paints. These issues encompass environmental conservation and managing the pollution and waste that is generated. This study adopted an integrated AHP-LCA decision model which helped identify several key factors as higher priorities. These factors include the bio-economic aspects, the production process, wood quality, stable supply of raw materials, technical considerations, and the recycling process. A pairwise comparison of 24 sub-criteria revealed that the quality of wood as a raw material, wood supply management and connections, the punching process, user education and trained workforce, and process design are critical criteria. Prioritizing these factors not only helps in the removal of pollutants, but also enhances the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework in the furniture industry. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results using Sima-Pro software indicated that scenario 1, which involves designing recyclable furniture, has a significant impact on water toxicity and CO2 emissions. Additionally, replacing birchwood as an imported raw material (scenario 2) can help mitigate ionizing radiation effects. Finally, using recycled wood in the furniture manufacturing processes (scenario 3) significantly affects land use and emissions.

Overload cascading failure detection algorithm for multi-layer supply chain network considering delay probability factor

At present, the supply chain is multi-layered and complicated, and its failure detection is based solely on the characteristic threshold, which does not lack the ability to describe the complex supply chain. An overload cascading failure detection algorithm for multi-layer supply chain network considering delay probability is proposed. Based on the multi-layer supply chain network including raw material suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers, the overload cascading failure model of the multi-layer supply chain network is constructed through networking, and the overload cascading failure process of the multi-layer supply chain network is described through three aspects: initial load, node capacity and overload node load distribution. By monitoring and analyzing the status update messages of each node in the supply chain network, and considering the delay probability factor, the node and path that may lead to cascading failure are identified by predicting the delay probability of the next message through the historical message delay probability, and the overload cascading failure detection of the multi-layer supply chain network is realized. The experimental results show that the algorithm can effectively detect the failure of each overloaded enterprise node in the multi-layer supply chain network, which is helpful to enhance the early warning and response ability of the cascade failure of the supply chain network. The algorithm can realize the failure detection of supply chain network under different attack conditions and initial failure ratio of nodes, and measure the anti-risk ability of supply chain network. Under deliberate attack and when the initial attack node is a supplier network layer node, it has a greater impact on the multi-layer supply chain network.

STATE REGULATION OF THE EXTRACTION OF CRITICAL MINERALS AS A DOMINANT COMPONENT OF ACHIEVING THE GOALS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHENING THE ECONOMIC SECURITY OF THE STATE

The article states that the climate crisis and measures to mitigate it in recent years have significantly changed the energy landscape of the countries of the world and the configuration of the investment portfolio. Long-term investments in fossil fuels have been replaced by investments in environmentally friendly technologies, renewable sources of electricity, and smart systems for its distribution and storage. It is emphasized that even with full support of investments, plans for the decarburization of the electric power industry may remain unattainable, as the global reserves of «critical minerals», which are absolutely necessary for the transition to ecologically clean electric power, are noticeably decreasing and the demand continues to grow relentlessly. The scenarios developed by the International Energy Agency for the further transformation of the electric power sector to a low-carbon economy model were reviewed and briefly characterized: the scenario of declared policy (STEPS), the scenario of declared obligations (APS), and the scenario of net zero emissions by 2050 (NZE). The main aspects of each of the scenarios are outlined: the volume of demand for «critical minerals» their geographical concentration of extraction, and processing. It is emphasized that the world leader in the extraction and processing of «critical minerals» is the PRC, which dictates the «rules of the game» to the majority of the world's countries. Therefore, the issue of supplies of “critical minerals” is quite painful. It was emphasized that critical minerals market participants hope to reduce total dependence through new mining projects in different geographical regions, facilitating cross-investment opportunities between partner countries, and strengthening cooperation through initiatives such as the Mineral Security Partnership and the implementation of financial instruments. The potential of Ukraine's «critical minerals» and its ability to reduce the dependence of EU countries on the People's Republic of China are characterized. The main challenges of the development of the extractive industry in Ukraine are identified, and the main vectors of the Roadmap of the partnership between Ukraine and the EU regarding critical raw materials for 2023-2024 are outlined. It was emphasized that in order for Ukraine not to become only a supplier of raw materials, it is necessary to develop the processing of raw materials and the production of products with added value. It is emphasized that such localization requires much wider efforts of the government than the list of measures in the field of regulating the extraction of «critical minerals» defined by the latest legislative acts. The author emphasizes the need to develop a comprehensive system of incentives and introduce new opportunities for stabilization and sustainable development of Ukraine's economy in order to ensure sustainability and progress towards sustainable resource management and optimization of supply chains for critical raw materials. Proposals have been developed for climate-smart mining of «critical minerals» in Ukraine in the near future.

Selection of Flour Suppliers as the Main Ingredient of Onion Crackers Using the Interpretive Structural Modeling Method and Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique

Raw materials are very important because raw materials are something that will determine whether the products produced are good and by the wishes of consumers or not, so it is necessary to pay attention to the provider of raw materials, namely the supplier of raw materials. The purpose of this research is to be able to find out the best suppliers by relying on the criteria that are the key criteria. In this study, the Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique (SMART) methods were used. The ISM method is useful for sorting out the criteria used so that it is obtained only in the form of key criteria while the SMART method is useful for determining the best supplier based on the existing key criteria. The results of this study are obtained from 9 key criteria out of 12 criteria used, namely quality criteria, delivery of goods, price of goods, communication system, control in operation, service improvement, attitude, packaging ability, and geographical location. The supplier that has the highest criteria based on the key criteria used is Sinar Terang supplier with a score of 0.5895 followed by Cece (0.555), Av (0.555), Aroma (0.5305), Harapan (0.5155), and finally Laris (0.4005).

Investment Analysis of the Manufacturing Industry Sector During the Industrial Revolution 4.0 on Provincial PDRB in Indonesia

During the ten-year period, the manufacturing industry sector has become a sector that contributes to economic growth in Indonesia. However, the distribution of GRDP in each island of Indonesia has not been maximized, this shows that the natural resources owned have not been utilized optimally, industries still tend to only supply raw materials which are then marketed abroad and in the end we buy them back at a higher price. The reason is that the application and use of advanced technology has not been maximized, especially at this time when the industry has entered the Industrial Revolution 4.0. This study aims to see the effect of advanced technology consisting of Internet Users, Software, Machinery and Equipment and Education Level on GRDP in Indonesia. The data used is secondary data from 2017-2021. The type of data in this study is panel data. The analysis technique in this study is the panel data regression technique with the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) method of the e-views 10 program. The results of this study indicate that machinery & equipment, internet users, software and education level together have a simultaneous relationship to the GRDP of Provinces in Indonesia. The variables Machinery and Equipment, Software and Internet Users have a positive and significant influence on the GRDP variable of Provinces in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the level of education has a negative influence on the GRDP of provinces in Indonesia. Keywords: Provincial GRDP in Indonesia, Manufacturing Industry, Software, Machinery and Equipment, Education Level and Internet Users

Optimization of underground mining production layouts considering geological uncertainty using deep reinforcement learning

Mineral extraction plays a key role in the global raw materials supply chain, however the exhaustion of shallow deposits and typical scarcity of sampled data during exploration activities creates challenges in mine planning and design, where decision-making is highly sensitive to uncertainty in geology and mineral grade prediction. Geostatistical techniques are commonly used to generate a set of equiprobable simulated numerical models to capture these uncertainties, however incorporating these simulated models within a mine planning and design framework remains a major challenge. The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel approach to decision-making in underground mine design that can use information from an ensemble of numerical realizations of a mineral resource to improve the financial performance of the asset. A deep reinforcement learning (DRL) framework, using the proximal policy optimization (PPO) algorithm, is developed for the design of underground mining production level layouts. A case study is presented using a gold mineral resource characterized by an ensemble of 100 numerical realizations to verify the advantages of the proposed method, considering a baseline consisting of an industry standard automated design method. The DRL approach achieved an 8.3% higher expected profit, a 3.4% more gold mined than the baseline, and has the added functionality of considering uncertainty in mineral grades.

Investigating the factors affecting sustainability of ready mix concrete plants: case study of Pune region

Construction industry plays a significant role in the economic development of the nation. Due to site and other constraints, concreting is preferred by ready mix concrete (RMC) plants. It is very well-known fact that the construction industry immensely contributed for CO2 emission mainly from cement-based materials. One of the way to achieve smart city objective to effectively manage ready mix concrete plants. While opting for RMC over site mixing offers various advantages. In this study, key factors governing the sustainability and energy consumption of RMC plants are identified. This study investigates the efficiency and sustainability of RMC production in Maharashtra, suggesting that its efficiency hinges on various factors. Through a constructivist perspective, the research examines twelve RMC plants in Pune mainly and other parts of Maharashtra, finding that power supply, plant output, and capacity require sustainability. While raw material supply is deemed sustainable, management methods and product control were found lacking. The study identifies challenges affecting demand, such as regulatory issues, management issues and technological limitations. The conclusion emphasizes the need for alternative and sustainable power sources, skilled labor, and improved business processes to enhance RMC production efficiency in Maharashtra, recommending measures like waste reuse and innovative advancements. This study will help the stakeholders in prioritizing the resources and process towards more sustainable way.