Technological advances have recently made white LED lights available for use in harsh underground environments and NMS have been developing the technology for the last 18 months.

A NSW longwall mine is currently trialing some NMS LEDs in a non-hazardous part of the mine – IS approvals are pending and expected within months. Early indications are that the lights are performing well underground, the company said.

LED lights offer several advantages over fluorescents, which require higher currents and voltages and are often difficult to match with intrinsically safe power supplies.

Because they are solid state lights LEDs are extremely robust and suitable for harsh underground mining environments. They are also suited for use on mobile equipment such as continuous miners, where lights are susceptible to repeated mechanical shock. Their durability makes LEDs virtually maintenance free, one of the main reasons mines are interested in the new technology.

NMS will offer a complete light package, including an IS power supply to complement its range of LED lights.

The lights provide a very focused and directional beam. Tests at a distance of 2.5m indicate that a 50 degree LED provides 3.9 foot lamberts, compared with 1.5 foot lamberts provided by a 20 watt fluorescent light.