Mine Site Technologies is a solutions provider, specializing in the development and supply of technology, and services, to the mining industry. Our particular areas of expertise include underground communications, remote blasting systems, mine tagging & WiFi tracking systems and cap lamps; as well as high data wireless mesh systems for open pit and surface communications.

Konkola Copper Mines

Konkola Copper Mine in Zambia
59 ImPact Wireless Network Switches form the main digital backbone

Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) in Zambia have undertaken a major upgrade of their underground communication infrastructure by introducing MST’s digital backbone and tracking applications to their main Konkola Mine.KCM, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Plc, are the largest copper producer in Zambia, with their Konkola Mine located in the northern part of the famous Zambian Copper Belt. The mine was looking to introduce advanced communications technologies to support their productivity goals through improved access to information for the management of their underground equipment and processes.Apart from two-way voice communications using VoIP phones, Konkola is introducing a tracking system to allow better management of their equipment underground. In particular the tracking of vehicles will allow these assets to be managed and more effectively deployed at the operation.To achieve communication along the main roadways underground, and track equipment & vehicles, Konkola are installing:

  • 59 ImPact Wireless Network Switches (WNS). Each of MST’s WNS units consist of a 4 port, single mode gigabit fibre switches with one or two wireless radio cards, as well as 4 PoE external ports.
  • 8 ImPact PoE Access Points. These are MST’s basic single Access Points that form minor spurs off the main WNS based backbone, to provide Wi-Fi coverage at specific locations.
  • 12,000 metres (39,370 ft) of ImPact Composite Fibre/Power cable to link the ImPact WNS’s and form the main digital backbone.
  • 100 Wi-Fi RFID Tags are being installed to begin tracking key assets. The Tags are AeroScout’s advanced T3 Wif-Fi Tag.
  • Tracking software is will be using AeroScout’s Mobile View and Positioning Engine.
  • 10 Spectralink VoIP phones are being installed initially to begin the introduction of two-way digital voice communications into the mine. This will complement the existing fixed phones and overcome the limited coverage from the mine’s existing leaky feeder radio system.

The core hardware in the digital backbone is based on MST’s ImPact Wireless Network Switches. These provide the wireless link to various Wi-Fi enabled devices, such as the VoIP phones. Importantly, they also act as the readers for the Wi-Fi enabled RFID Tags. The ImPact WNS’s are configured with single or twin radio cards; twin radios being used where immediate determination of direction of travel is required.MST look forward to working with Konkola engineers in the introduction of digital communication to their mine, and appreciate the support offered by our representatives in Africa, Gijima AST, in securing the project and offering high quality, first line support to the mine.

More information on MST’s digital communication solutions can be seen at:
http://www.minesite.com.au/applications/operational-communications/

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Bulyanhulu Tanzania

ControlPED Receiver will be used for remote switching of fans

Barrick is installing a PED System at their Bulyanhulu Gold Mine in Tanzania. Engineers at Buyanhulu have been evaluating the PED and BlastPED System for some time to improve the efficiency of their blasting operations. As part of this review the use of the PED Transmission System to provide remote switching of fans via ControlPEDs was also assessed.

Hence it has turned out that the initial installation is based on using ControlPEDs for fan control. The resultant energy savings give the mine a payback in a matter of months. The initial system consists of:

  • A single PED Transmission Headend.
  • 2,800 m (9,000 ft) underground antenna to provide complete signal coverage throughout this very large mine.
  • 55 ControlPED Receivers to interface to fans throughout the underground levels.

Due to the high cost of electricity the ability to remotely control fans was identified as having major cost saving potential. Analysis of various remote control methods then identified ControlPEDs as the most cost effective method to reliably achieve the required remote control.

Additionally, with the PED transmission infrastructure installed for the ControlPEDs, the extension into remote blast initiation using BlastPED is simply and matter of adding BlastPED Receiver/Exploders to the system over time. The option for personal communications via the PED receivers, to complement other personal communication systems already in use at the mine, is also available as required.

A similar use of the PED System at a number of other Barrick operations gave addtional confidence in the proposed solution. An example being Barrick’s Eskay Creek Gold Mine in Canada, where both BlastPEDs and ControlPEDs have been in use for the last three years.

Once again we are appreciative to Barrick for their continued support of our underground communication solutions, and are confident of the cost and safety benefits they will continue to receive from their implementation of MST technologies.

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Minesite Technologies: 25 27 Whiting St Artarmon NSW 2064 AUSTRALIA Phone: +61 2 9437 4399 Fax: +61 2 9437 5688 Email: mst@minesite.com.au