MINE VENTILATION
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Alamos’ Island Gold mine is currently carrying out an expansion that could see the operation up throughput to 2,400 t / d
It provides an all-in-one, visibility platform allowing real-time monitoring of assets and people in underground mines, surface mines and Aboriginal or Indigenous heritage zones. Its underground mining communications solution has green nodes the size of‘ lunchboxes’ that use Bluetooth and a proprietary mesh network to enable this visibility.
The company is integrating its technology with a variety of service providers including Ventsim.
“ Our aim now is to establish an even bigger footprint in Australia in 2025, as well as further installations and trials around the world, hopefully incorporating the Ventsim option,” Baudia said.“ We are particularly focused on establishing GeoMoby communications in large underground mines – in South Africa, South America, New Zealand, Canada, Indonesia and the US. Our technology – using Bluetooth and a proprietary mesh network – continues to make mining safer globally, so every worker can return home safe, each day.”
Mathieu Paul, GeoMoby Director, says:“ The costs of providing your mine workforce with adequate ventilation can be drastically reduced if you only ventilate the areas of mines in which people are working and moving. GeoMoby allows you to see your teams and work activity in real time, therefore you can automatically turn off, or reduce, ventilation in areas of the mine which are not active.
“ Some mine sites are enormous with dozens of levels spiralling down into the earth. So, the more accurate you are at measuring the locations of your team, the less ventilation you require in superfluous zones.”
A new‘ benchmark’ in ventilation efficiency
Australia-based Minetek recently brought its all-new Raptor Series of ventilation fans to the market.
Designed with cutting-edge technology, the Raptor Series is built to deliver unmatched performance, efficiency and flexibility, tailored to tackle the toughest challenges of hard-rock and metalliferous mining operations worldwide, it says.
The company explained:“ Designed with insights from 50-plus underground ventilation projects and over 40 years of fan engineering expertise, the Raptor Series sets a new industry benchmark. Firstly, it has a single-stage design for faster, lowercost installation. The compact, lightweight design speeds up installation and lowers initial labour costs, minimising downtime and reducing setup expenses.”
Raptor also has reduced power and infrastructure costs, according to the company. Efficient power usage decreases electrical demand, saving on both energy costs and infrastructure requirements. Simplified maintenance comes from fewer electrical terminations which streamline setup and maintenance, making it easier and less costly to keep systems running.
Its engineered high performance supports extended duct runs, it claims, potentially reducing the total number of fans required, which cuts installation and operational costs.
Functionality-wise, it is adaptable as both a primary and secondary fan, so Raptor Series maximises airflow and reduces infrastructure expenses by meeting varied site requirements.“ With a greater airflow capacity than traditional fans, fewer units are needed to achieve optimal performance, reducing operational costs,” Minetek added.
The durable, next generation quiet impeller design reduces blade wear, enhancing workplace comfort and safety by limiting noise. Lower maintenance requirements keep the fan operational for longer periods, minimising disruptions and extending the service life.
Minetek explained:“ Rising energy costs and environmental regulations are significant pressures in the mining industry. Minetek’ s Raptor Series is engineered to address these challenges, cutting power consumption by up to 50 % and enabling compliance with increasingly stringent emission standards.”
This efficiency translates directly to cost savings and a reduced carbon footprint, the company says.
Minetek added:“ Setting a new benchmark in ventilation efficiency, Minetek delivers and fully commissions systems to site within just 24 weeks – months faster than the industry standard. This unmatched speed is driven by our innovative modular design, which simplifies assembly and eliminates extensive on-site construction. Built and rigorously tested at our state-ofthe-art Australian facility, our fans arrive ready to perform flawlessly, ensuring faster project timelines and minimal operational disruptions.”
Minetek illustrated this with an example from a mining operation that urgently required a primary ventilation system to prevent delays that could disrupt the entire mine design and hold up critical infrastructure, including a vent raise. Without a swift solution, the project faced costly setbacks and operational delays, Minetek says.
“ Minetek deployed a compact booster fan arrangement, consisting of highperformance Raptor Series fans, which
International Mining | JUNE 2025