CANADIAN TECHNOLOGY
and production interruptions that increase project scope, cost, and scheduling complexity. PoE significantly lowers that barrier by allowing displays to be powered using low-voltage Ethernet cabling, reducing installation time and safety constraints. Reducing separate power infrastructure also minimises potential failure points in environments where dust, vibration, and moisture are constant challenges.
“ Extending electrical power in underground mining environments introduces cost, risk, and operational disruption,” said Michael Gribbons, Founder, President and CEO of Maestro Digital Mine.“ By using Power over Ethernet, the SuperBrite™ Marquee Display removes the need to treat signage as a special electrical project. It becomes a standard, managed network device, delivering trusted information reliably without introducing additional electrical complexity underground.”
Designed for continuous 24 / 7 operation in harsh underground environments, the SuperBrite™ Marquee Display provides high-visibility LED readouts of real-time environmental and ventilation data, including airflow, gas concentrations, humidity, and temperature. As part of the Maestro Digital Mine ecosystem, the display integrates directly with Vigilante AQS™ and Zephyr AQS™ air quality monitoring stations, delivering live data over a managed PoE network rather than relying on locally maintained systems. Centralised power and network management allow operators to monitor device status, reset displays remotely, and ensure information remains current and visible underground.
Built-in fail-safe behaviour alerts crews if communication is lost, preventing outdated information from being relied upon. When powered through PoE switches with backup power, displays can also maintain predictable operation during brief outages, supporting more consistent information delivery in safety-critical environments.
By eliminating the requirement for dedicated electrical infrastructure at each display, the PoE-enabled SuperBrite™ Marquee Display also makes it easier to add, replace, or relocate signage as underground networks expand- without triggering additional electrical work or re-certification.
Prairie Machine’ s Flexiveyor now MSHA certified
Saskatoon-based Prairie Machine’ s big news it that its Flexiveyor Continuous Haulage System is now MSHA certified. This certification it says underlines a commitment to providing safe, effective mining solutions and expands its footprint into the underground coal market in the US.
MSHA( the Mining Safety and Health Administration) certification is awarded by the administration’ s Approval and Certification Center( A & CC). A & CC experts evaluate and test equipment, instruments, and other components to ensure that they comply with American federal regulations. Once certified, the equipment may be used in gassy environments, such as underground coal mines and other underground gassy metal and non-metal mines.
Prairie Machine custom-designed and manufactured the Flexiveyor’ s explosion proof( XP) electrical enclosures for MSHA approval. The XP enclosures are engineered to contain any kind of flash or explosion( caused by electrical failure of high-energy
Prairie Machine’ s big news it that its Flexiveyor Continuous Haulage System is now MSHA certified
electrical components) so as not to ignite the surrounding gas.
The company states:“ Our MSHAcertified XP enclosures feature a slip fit cable entry gland( patent pending at the time of publication). Traditional threaded cable glands can be difficult to disassemble without damaging the cable, maintenance staff can service the slip fit cable entry glands with standard tools, in a fraction of the time. This innovative design minimises downtime from repairs and maintenance, all while maintaining full XP integrity and compliance.”
The traditional method of transporting coal from the mine face to a conveyor system is batch haulage. In this process, the mining machine discharges coal to a haulage vehicle. The haulage vehicle travels to a dump point at the end of the stationary conveyor belt and unloads the coal. Finally, the haulage vehicle returns to the mining machine, and the process repeats.“ As the batch haulage vehicle travels to and from the dump site, the mining machine is inactive. Although many sites employ more than one haulage vehicle per mining machine, the nature of the batch haul process leads to considerable downtime. Over the years, mines have looked for more effective continuous haulage systems.”
So what advantages does continuous haulage offer over shuttle cars and other haulage methods? Prairie Machine says firstly the upside is productivity.“ Unlike with a shuttle car, with continuous haulage, there’ s no stoppage; the mining machine can cut continuously. Sites with continuous haulage regularly see a 20-40 % increase in productivity.” Then safety.“ Continuous
haulage systems, like the Flexiveyor, can be run by as few as two operators, eliminating the need for individual shuttle car drivers and reducing the risk of collisions or crush injuries.”
The Flexiveyor Continuous Haulage System is available in multiple configurations and is custom engineered to navigate each mine’ s unique operating conditions. The low profile and narrow Flexiveyor easily integrate into mines with height and width restrictions, while the straddle-over Flexiveyor trams overtop of the stationary conveyor belt in mines with restrictive roadways.
“ MSHA certification is a testament to Prairie Machine’ s overall commitment to providing safe, effective mining solutions, no matter the situation. We look forward to bringing our decades of experience in continuous haulage into the American coal mining sector and helping mine sites reach their full production potential.”
32 International Mining | APRIL 2026