Our Expert Panel | Matrix Mining Solutions

Who Makes Us Different

People Who Have Run These Mines Themselves

The most important thing about the Matrix Mining team is not their qualifications — it is their operational experience. Every senior advisor on our panel has held executive responsibility at scale: leading CIL subsidiaries, advising the Ministry of Coal, operating private mining verticals at CEO level.

This is not a team of consultants who have studied mining from the outside. It is a team of practitioners who have made the decisions, navigated the regulators, managed the crises, and delivered the outcomes — and now bring that accumulated judgement to bear for their clients.

Our model is deliberately senior-heavy. When clients engage Matrix Mining, they receive the attention of the domain expert, not a junior analyst producing work for review. The Chairman is personally involved in every significant mandate.

50+

Years of combined operational leadership at CMD, CEO, and government advisory level

12+

Senior domain specialists across geology, mine planning, environment, legal, finance, and engineering

100%

Senior-led delivery — every mandate receives direct expert involvement

Founder & Chairman

Shri Mahesh Kumar Thapar

Chairman & Founder · Mining Engineer · 50+ Years in Coal Mining

Shri M.K. Thapar is among India's most accomplished mining professionals. His career spans five decades across the country's foremost mining institutions — from CIL's largest subsidiaries, through the highest executive roles, to the Ministry of Coal advisory council, to building a major private mining vertical as CEO.

During his four-decade career with Coal India Limited, he rose to CMD of South Eastern Coalfields Limited, CIL's largest coal-producing subsidiary. He also served as Advisor (Projects) to the Ministry of Coal, where he shaped national coal policy and block allocation frameworks.

As CEO of Adani Mining, he built the coal vertical from inception, developing a large greenfield coal block in predominantly Sal forest into a world-class mine with integrated washery, CHP, rapid loading system, and a 76 km rail link — delivered within government timelines.

He founded Matrix Mining in 2016 to bring this calibre of operational and strategic expertise to clients navigating India's complex mining landscape.

CMD, SECL / CIL Advisor, Ministry of Coal CEO, Adani Mining MPPA & APA Accredited

40 Years — Coal India Limited

Career progression through CIL's subsidiaries, retiring as CMD of South Eastern Coalfields Limited — CIL's largest producing subsidiary.

Advisor (Projects) — Ministry of Coal, GoI

Shaped national coal policy, informed block allocation frameworks, and built the regulatory relationships that Matrix Mining leverages for client approvals today.

CEO — Adani Mining Pvt. Ltd.

Built Adani's coal vertical from inception to operational scale. Greenfield mine development from 0 to 15 MTY, subsequently expanded to 18 MTY within government timelines.

2016 — Founded Matrix Mining Solutions

Established India's most credentialed boutique mining advisory firm with MPPA + APA dual accreditation and a 12-member senior expert panel.

The Expert Panel

Core Advisory Team

M. Satyamurty

Chief Operating Officer · Safety & Statutory Audit

Chief Operating Officer at Matrix Mining, leading day-to-day operations alongside the firm’s safety and statutory-audit practice. Decades of opencast and underground experience spanning mine planning, production optimisation, DGMS compliance and statutory safety systems.

Operations leadership across opencast & underground
Statutory mine safety audits & gap assessment
Safety Management Plans & DGMS compliance
Production optimisation & DPR preparation

Tarun K. Shrivastava

Mine Planning, Scheduling & Operations

Expertise in mine planning, production scheduling, policy research, and evaluation of new mining technologies for operational improvement.

Mine planning & production scheduling
Policy research & regulatory analysis
New technology evaluation
Operational performance advisory

Dr. G.S. Bhatia

Chief Geologist · Geology & Exploration

Senior geologist with deep expertise in coal exploration, 3D geological modelling, and resource classification across CIL’s major coalfields — Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal.

APA-certified geological survey & report preparation
Exploration programme design & supervision
Resource estimation (UNFC / IBM classification)
MoC Geological Report preparation & approval

Dr. Arvind Kumar

Senior Geologist · Critical Minerals

Senior geologist specialising in critical and strategic minerals — exploration targeting, resource assessment and geological reporting for the minerals central to India’s energy-transition and industrial supply chains.

Critical-mineral exploration & target generation
Resource estimation & geological reporting
Greenfield prospecting programme design
Technical due diligence for critical-mineral blocks

Working With Us

How Our Team Engages

Available across three engagement models — structured to match the nature and duration of your requirement.

Project-Based

Defined scope, defined deliverable — mine plan, DPR, geological report, independent engineer mandate. Fixed timeline with senior expert assigned for the duration. Most common for statutory deliverables.

Advisory Retainer

Ongoing senior advisory access — monthly or quarterly sessions, proactive regulatory monitoring, ad-hoc support. Particularly valued by commercial block holders who need continuous expert guidance without a permanent hire.

Hybrid Engagement

A core retainer relationship supplemented by project-specific work. The most common model for clients with multiple blocks or a mine in active development — combining strategic continuity with tactical delivery.