MST said the underground mine was looking for a tracking system to monitor and record the movements and position of equipment, particularly during longwall moves.

“It can take several weeks to move a longwall and during this period there are a multitude of external factors and unforeseen delays which make it exceptionally difficult to keep track of stored item locations,” MST said.

The mining communications technology company also said Vale wanted to improve onsite communications by introducing a two-way mobile solution, which had key benefits for maintenance and repair operations.

The technology can also be used to better manage staff and vehicles in ventilation zones for safety benefits with MST saying the number of personnel could be controlled within limits governed by available emergency breathing apparatus.

In the communications upgrade, Vale will install 20 of MST’s ImPact Wireless Network Switches (WNS) with each having one or two Wi-Fi radio cards and a four-port fibre switch.

As part of the set-up Vale will also have 17 ImPact Wireless Access Points (WAP), operating from Power over Ethernet links to their nearest WNS unit.

MST said the network set-up offered Wi-Fi access, active RFID tag reading and VoIP telephony capability.

For tracking of longwall components, each item has an active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag attached, with MST saying this allowed for the position to be recorded every time it passed either a WNS or WAP.

To track personnel, Vale will upgrade the entire cap lamp fleet through 300 of MST’s Integrated Communications Cap Lamps, which have both an RFID tag and a personal emergency device text message receiver.

MST said its cap lamps allowed for location of and communication with underground personnel in one integrated unit.

“People can be located quickly and easily with the tracking system and operational dispatch messages can be sent directly to the required person via the PED one-way pager, ensuring efficient communication,” the company said.

MST aims to further bolster two-way communication at Integra through its VoIP telephone handset, once it has been approved for coal mine use.

“The Wi-Fi network has been set up to provide seamless VoIP coverage along the travel road from the surface to the longwall, as the ImPact WNS units provide continuous Wi-Fi coverage along the underground roadways,” the company said.

MST added the installation of the communication system could be extended into hazardous zone areas within 12 months after the Intrinsically Safe version of the ImPact WNS units becomes available.