The LED cap lamp – the Northern Light GII LED – integrates latest lighting technology with NLT’s proven GII cap lamp.

NLT engineering manager Fred Kopeschny said that conservatively the LED will last over 10,000 hours.

“Currently, the typical incandescent bulb may need replacing up to four times in one year. When you factor in the cost of the bulb and its maintenance cost, a mine that has 500-plus cap lamps would save $76,000 over four years by switching to the GII LED.”

NLT first launched the Northern Light GII LED in 2005, and while the overall mining market has been receptive to the new technology, until now the coal industry had not been able to benefit from the GII LED.

“My team has been working very diligently with local approval bodies to secure approval. This type of technology offers huge benefits to the industry, not only in terms of cost-savings but also for safety,” NLT Australia director Tim Haight said.

NLT is also looking to gain approval in other markets and expects IS approval in Europe and in the United States early 2007.