The mining industry continues to face significant challenges with increased emphasis on productivity and increased regulation in terms of safety. The growing trend toward automation fuels the requirement for miners to adopt a data‐driven approach to operations. A key enabler for both productivity and safety is the ability to accurately locate all mining assets and communicate that information throughout the mine. Minetec has developed a modular product portfolio to assist in the safe operations of the mine, as well as a suite of tools to measure and optimise productivity.
A key underlying technology in Minetec’s safety and productivity solutions is WASP (wireless ad‐hoc system for positioning). The WASP technology was developed in conjunction with CSIRO and has been commercially certified, adapted and ruggedised for mining by Minetec. WASP technology has been engineered into two of Minetec’s product lines: TRAX and SafeDetect.
CSIRO’s Queensland Centre for Advanced Technologies (QCAT), Australia’s largest integrated research and development precinct for the resources and associated advanced technology industries, have recently commissioned Minetec to deliver its TRAX solution within the centre’s Autonomous Systems facility, which develops new techniques for localisation and the autonomous control of machines.
WASP sensors consist of dual software defined radios – 2.4 GHz (Wi‐Fi) and 5.8 GHz (WASP) – digital processors and INS sensors (inertial navigation). The WASP algorithm provides highly accurate distance measurements between neighbouring sensors through measurement of Time of Arrival (to a fraction of a nanosecond). In addition, the WASP sensors form a wireless mesh network using the 2.4 GHz WiFi radio, allowing for communication of positional data plus associated vehicle and mine operational control data in real time.
Minetec’s tracking, safety and productivity solutions form part of the Minetec Unified Platform where collision avoidance, sub-metre accuracy tracking and dynamic communication to the surface are all built on the same WASP platform. The Minetec Unified Platform delivers intuitive easy to use solutions for our clients, demonstrated by the interoperable Minetec Mobile Client.
The Minetec Mobile Client, touch screen Graphic Operator Interface Tablet is mounted in the operator’s cabin. Where TRAX is implemented, a mine map can be maintained in the background, showing movement of other personnel and assets. TRAX servers calculate individual node positions with reference to the 3‐D mine layout, inertial information and the calculated distance between nodes. This data is synchronised and broadcast in real‐time so that all users view the same data simultaneously.
The mobile client can be configured to lock onto a particular vehicle, displaying in real time its location against a 3‐D map of the mine, and its position in relation to all other TRAX enabled assets (vehicles and personnel) within the mine, giving equipment operators unprecedented real time visualisation of assets operating within their vicinity to sub-metre level accuracy. In short, allowing operators to see hundreds of metres around corners.
Where SafeDetect is also fitted, proximity alerts are shown on the screen during proximity events. SafeDetect provides a range of hardware options which can be configured to complement any mining operational scenario. These different hardware configurations allow for basic through to advanced zone and alarm profiles which translate to varying levels of contextual awareness for the operator.