NL Technologies (NLT), a supplier of miner’s cap lamps and underground digital communications systems, has received additional approval from Testsafe, Australia for an IS Wireless Access Node helping communication at the longwall and from continuous miners. This newest IS approved product will improve mine communications by resolving a long standing technical challenge of pulling data information from longwall and continuous mining machines and conveying this information to surface in ‘real time’.

NLT has been working with two of the leading global suppliers of mining equipment, to specify NLT digital wireless and wired access points at the OEM level, when the mines are ordering its longwalls and continuous miners. NLT has already taken orders for three IS systems through OEMs for the Australian market since the approval. Between OEM installs and NLT’s standard IS digital communications and tracking solutions, the company is now covering nine coal mines in Australia.

NLT sees this approval as a global opportunity, as it can work directly with large mining equipment companies to improve their customers’ communication of data in all parts of the mining world. This, according to the company, shows where NLT is able to take customer needs and turn them into productivity enhancing solutions.

NLT has been designing and manufacturing equipment for the underground mining industry for over twenty years with offices situated in Canada, Australia, Chile and distribution partners globally. In 2004, NLT leveraged its expertise to launch the Northern Light Digital^TM division, which designs underground tracking and communications systems aimed at improving safety, efficiency and preventing mine emergencies. www.nltinc.com