NETWORKS AND COMMUNICATIONS
surprising yet this has not been achieved in an underground coal mine anywhere in the world , prior to Nautitech ’ s solution .” The Nautitech Spitfire BPLM Wi-Fi bubble is designed to enhance communications to the areas of the mines that currently do not have access to high bandwidth reliable communications such as on continuous miners during roadway development .
At the Ensham Resources coal operation in Queensland , the mine required data communication extension to the continuous miner with high bandwidth and Wi-Fi capacity which would not drop out when the CM turns a corner . The CM has a trailing cable length up to 400 m . To extend communications to the CM and CM area , two main solution requirements were recognised as being essential in order to achieve the desired reliability : extending the surface network to the CM which was achieved through the Nautitech Spitfire BPLM ; and the creation of a hotspot around the CM – achieved through a Wi-Fi Access Point .
Characteristics of Nautitech Spitfire modems include reliable and high bandwidth ; uses of existing trailing cables ; and protection from the mining environment . Characteristics of Nautitech Wi-Fi hotspots include use of portable equipment without wires and coverage in areas where it ’ s needed .
“ This solution combines existing and proven communication technologies together that are very well proven , robust and readily available . Moreover , the two independent systems have been used extensively in many different mine applications in Australia and overseas markets ; in underground coal and other nonhazardous mining applications .”
MST helps increase worker productivity
Mine Site Technologies ( MST ) told IM that it has been working with mine managers in both coal and hard rock mines to identify ways to increase worker productivity and output . An Australian underground hard rock customer had implemented a solution to track workers when they entered and left the mine in order to understand the hours that each worker spent in the mine . However , the system did not show the actual productive hours that each worker spent in the orebody . Over time , the workers had discovered ways to manipulate the data being recorded , thereby rendering the generated reports inaccurate .
A real-time tracking system based on active RFID tags was being planned to enhance safety at the mine . The power of knowing the location of personnel and equipment within the mine was also recognised as potentially offering additional management benefits . While it is useful to capture tracking ( location ) data for underground mine personnel , this information can be further leveraged to achieve specific business outcomes and tangible cost benefits . MST provided the mine with a solution that utilised MST ’ s underground Wi-Fi network and active RFID tags . This enabled real-time tracking of personnel to identify when workers were actually in the working area of the orebody or located elsewhere in the mine .
The attached chart displays the number of miners in the orebody throughout a 12 hour shift . The chart shows high productivity in the morning when most workers are in the orebody , and a corresponding drop in productivity in the afternoon as workers gradually leave the orebody .
This information provides mine managers with the operations visibility they need to improve worker productivity and increase mine revenue .
Mine Site Technologies ' MinePhone handsets offer a simple and robust solution for Voice over Internet Protocol ( VoIP )
Analysis of one 45 man crew showed that they averaged 9.9 hours in the orebody in a 12 hour shift . Improving their time in the orebody by just 30 minutes would yield 554.3 t of additional production per shift or 404,647 t per year . This equated to additional revenue opportunity that gave a payback on the tracking system investment within a month .
Further infrastructure has since been installed at the mine to improve visibility of operations down to the specific area of work . The MST solution captures the location of the worker accurately and in real time .
“ This level of location awareness greatly enhances the safety of miners in case of an emergency situation or necessary evacuation , but
New MST WSN Gateway and RTU Sensor
102 International Mining | SEPTEMBER 2016