MINE LIGHTING operation through the simple routine of upgrading your basic prerequisite – lighting .”
Once the lights are powered up , they automatically connect throughout the site and create a robust , wireless digital mesh network that enables the rollout of various IoT services that have been so far unfeasible . “ The best way to understand the Coolon Brilliant Connected Lights technology is to think of it like an industrial-tier AppStore for the site that allows the users to install and deploy any of the hundreds of available IoT products and services . Customers have access to an ecosystem of technologies that can seamlessly piggyback on Coolon ’ s mesh network , without the need for complex installations . Lighting is naturally positioned to provide the best radio coverage , by being mounted in elevated positions , constantly powered , located throughout the site , routinely inspected and essential to any facility . Coolon lights contain nodes inside the fittings , which enables almost ‘ plug-and-play ’ capability : one node only needs to service a limited area around itself and pass the data onto its neighbour for retransmission , enabling the creation of a robust network in the most hard-to-reach locations , regardless of the size and complexity of the surrounding infrastructure .”
Mineglow and reach of x-Glo
For another view on the LED strip lighting market in underground mining , IM spoke to Mineglow General Manager , Carinne Pater . Mineglow is the world ' s largest exclusive distributor of x-Glo strip lighting products , covering Australia and also West Africa and Mongolia . They were original cofounders of the product , which is made in Shenzhen , China , and are also developing their own range of in-house solutions . On the uptick on activity in the underground mining strip LED lighting space , Pater commented : “ LED strip or rope lighting is being adopted at a rapid pace as a cost efficient , low maintenance solution for making harsh underground environments safer , brighter and more productive . Mineglow ’ s x-Glo range was specifically developed for harsh mining applications in 2014 . Purpose-built to meet the needs of miners , the product established trust quickly . Demand for strip lighting continues to grow as miners reap the tangible cost , productivity and safety benefits . Over the past decade , LED strip lighting has become a mainstream technology , outperforming traditional sources of underground lighting such as fluorescent or LED tube , or spotlights .”
As a purpose-built solution that addressed common underground miner challenges such as the high installation and maintenance time and cost of traditional lights that require regular replacement or repair , Pater says the sector has been quick to embrace the flexibility , efficiency and reliability of LED strips . “ The benefits of ‘ mine-grade ’ quality LED strip lights over traditional lights are now well known and recognised . Breakage is a real challenge in underground mines , as standard lighting is easily knocked and broken . Traditional lights also start to dim within four to six months , so achieving optimal levels of illumination for people to work safely and productively , has been another driver behind the rise in LED strip lighting .” Mineglow ’ s first underground installation in a Moranbah coal mine in 2014 is still going strong today , not requiring any replacement . “ This is consistent across our customer base and demonstrates how important it is to use purpose-built , high-grade quality LED strip lights for mining .”
Mineglow is not restricted to strip LED lighting , in the past year for example it has supplied EmControl Emergency Directional Lighting in an underground gold mine in Ghana , West Africa . Pater told IM : “ Used in combination with our standard white LED strip lighting , our Emergency Directional Lighting controller gives customers the ability to
instantly switch their lights to a pulsating green light in an emergency . The green light pulses in the direction required , guiding workers to an evacuation route . In underground environments , mine operators need to ensure that everything to support an escape is in place , available and easy for staff to locate .”
This Mineglow solution installed in Ghana improves underground visibility and directs workers to the nearest escapeway in case of an evacuation . Twelve modular escapeways are fully enclosed and required lighting inside the polyurethane ladder tubes . Directional lighting
®
OmniPro
OmniPro ® detects people , vehicles and objects within the projected travel path of mobile equipment and alerts the operator to their presence .
Mineglow says x-Glo LED strip lights deliver substantial cost savings for underground mines , as they don ’ t require as much electricity to run
A . I . Collision Avoidance Technology
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 | International Mining 57