Independent communications consultant Dr Jan Noordhof discusses the future of communications in the Mining industry.
As the scope of the industry’s communications requirements increase, many mines employ an expanding, but disparate mix of technologies. Over many decades, mines have employed phones, bell signalling, leaky feeder systems, through-the-earth communications, VOIP, WiFi, RFID, and cellular to name a few.
Tait Communications (Tait) and MST Global (MST) are proud to announce FUSION Voice, a world-first for underground mining and tunneling communications. FUSION Voice offers an in-vehicle radio that can operate in VoIP mode from the underground WiFi network and, at the push of a button, operate via the UHF or VHF radio system that may be in place.
FUSION Voice is the result of a joint development project between Tait and MST, integrating MST’s communication-over-Wi-Fi expertise with the Tait Unified Vehicle platform to form one in-vehicle, push-to talk unit. FUSION Voice enables access to reliable, dedicated voice communication over WiFi networks from inside a vehicle.
Rio Tinto Coal Australia manages the Bengalla Mining Company on behalf of Coal and Allied and other Joint Venture Partners.
Situated in the Upper Hunter Valley, New South Wales, the mine has operated since 1998.
The Setting
The Bengalla Mining Company required an upgrade of their radio communication system. The previous system created a number of frustrations for the mine’s growing operations, the most prominent being communication black spots.
For an open pit operation, the landscape is continually changing with spoil dumps created from the mining... Continue Reading
