ARCHIVE

QME - Minecom Australia

AT this year’s QME show in Mackay Minecom Australia, suppliers of underground communications systems technology, will show its new personnel location (eProx) systems.

Staff Reporter

EProx is a passive tagging system that utilizes small RF/ID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags, which do not require a battery to power them and only need to be placed in close proximity (10cm) to a tag reader to identify users/wearers. The active tag, which is operated from the cap lamp, is able to be read within 90m of the reader.

“These tags are used to monitor the safety of personnel and also the productivity levels underground and therefore being able to work with that data on the surface is vital,” said Minecom general manager, Brett Wilson.

Information from the tagging units is collected at a central point over radio and then transferred up to the computer on the surface. Instead of having computers underground, the collected information is centralized on the surface.

The third system Minecom are implementing in relation to tagging is the LAMPS project, for which IS approvals are pending. Developed by the CSIRO and driven out of the Moura disaster, this system is essentially a beacon system to track people under ground, operated from the cap lamp.

“Whereas this system is a major safety feature, it can also be used in daily activities. The system can transmit the heartbeat of the person enabling supervisors to monitor their situation and gauge their physical responses to various tasks. Through LAMPS the operators on the surface can transmit messages to the individual. The system also has a push button response function to enable those underground to acknowledge instructions from up top,” Wilson said.

TOPICS:

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Monthly Intelligence team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Monthly Intelligence team.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Future Fleets Report 2024

The report paints a picture of the equipment landscape and includes detailed profiles of mines that are employing these fleets

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Digitalisation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations that use digitalisation technology to drive improvements across all areas of mining production

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Automation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations using autonomous solutions in every region and sector, including analysis of the factors driving investment decisions

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Exploration Report 2023 (feat. Opaxe data)

A comprehensive review of current exploration rates, trending exploration technologies, a ranking of top drill intercepts and a catalogue of 2022 Initial Resource Estimates and recent discovery successes.