Two-Way Through-the-Earth Communication to Become a Reality
MST and the Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) are very pleased to announce our recent agreement to finalize the development of the Two-Way PED Project for use in underground mines.
Underground communications will be significantly enhanced by miners being able to transmit signals directly through the rock strata to the surface. The final system configuration is yet to be finalized, but the principles have been tested and confirmed. Once the development is completed, the two-way PED module will transmit wirelessly back to underground base stations, which will then transmit through the rock strata to antennas located on the surface.
The base stations will be designed to withstand the shock of explosions and remain operating on IS battery power, with tests to date indicating the base stations would be able to transmit through at least 2,100 feet (600 metres) of rock. This will provide a two step, through-the-earth link from a miner underground to the surface in all but the deepest mines. Deeper mines may require an additional repeater 'hop' to reach the surface.
The return messages will be received by antennas located on the surface and, in the case of mines that already have a PED antenna installed on the surface, we aim to use this existing antenna for receiving the incoming messages, and not require additional antenna infrastructure to be installed.
The 'Two-Way PED' module will be an add-on to the ICCL, as we are certainly aware of the investment and support our existing customers have given us over the years, and want to ensure that their previous investment is upgradeable when the Two-Way System becomes available. Initial underground demonstrations in Australia and the USA are currently being planned for later in the year.
By closing the loop in through-the-earth (TTE) communications with a return signal will provide the mining industry with an extremely powerful emergency communication and management system. Additionally being an upgrade option for existing PED operators, will provide the opportunity for these additional benefits to be readily available to our existing customers and new customers installing PED systems as the project is being completed.