Numerous mining activities are located in difficult-to-reach locations. In these remote locations, it might be difficult to use cellular or radio technology to connect people, machines, and the corporate network. Going without necessary communication is not an option because visibility is crucial for making significant decisions; thus, a communication trailer is crucial.
For automating machine-to-machine or M2M communications in mining contexts for the purposes of tracking, monitoring, and messaging, satellite messaging terminals are an economically viable solution. For many monitoring and control applications, the ability to send messages at predetermined intervals or on demand is sufficient.
The mining communications trailer allows mining corporations to exchange data across diverse activities without the significant expenditures frequently associated with constant connectivity, and it satisfies the need for more precise information in mobile and fixed remote monitoring applications.
5 Techniques for Better Mining Communications Trailer
For a better mining communication trailer, there are certain techniques that can be used. Read the following to know what they are and how they are utilised in mining areas.
1. Tracking Down Vehicles and Construction Equipment
Mining companies are using satellites more and more for communication trailers and fleet tracking of cars and equipment.
For infrequent users who require accurate location data, a satellite messaging terminal with an omnidirectional antenna that operates on batteries, is simple to set up, and requires nearly no maintenance would be a great solution. If accurate location data is required, a satellite terminal that can be powered by the vehicle’s electrical system is a superior choice.
Mining businesses can start gathering information for intelligent fleet management once they have developed a system for monitoring the whereabouts and usage of their fleets of equipment. One example of a monitoring software’s effectiveness is its capacity to detect misplaced tools, allot vehicle utilisation among the fleet, and schedule preventative maintenance. This could have a significant impact on things like operational effectiveness and cost savings.
2. Data Gathering with Remote Sensors
When data is manually and slowly gathered from remote monitoring stations that are vital to the mission, time and money are wasted. Mining companies can monitor water levels with a communication trailer without frequently dispatching staff to the sites, thanks to satellite technology.
For instance, the environmental protection agency in Australia demanded that a mine give regular updates on the water level in a borehole. The mine had a problem gathering the data consistently and on schedule because the monitoring points could only be reached on foot.
The final solution’s foundation was a set of sensors connected to a satellite messaging terminal. An alert is generated, and data is routinely transmitted via satellite whenever a monitored parameter exceeds a user-defined threshold. Since mining communications are now conducted using satellite terminals, environmental engineers can visit sites less frequently and respond quickly when a threshold is crossed.
3. Webinar on Monitoring Weather for Mining: Analysing the Conditions
Extreme weather can have a negative impact on mining operations. Even though humans have little control over the weather, distant weather stations can be quite useful for things like storm prediction, managing flood and lightning risks, and timed explosions.
Satellite terminals and data recorders are being used by a mining company in the Chilean Andes to collect weather information in remote areas. Sensors that track and report environmental variables like temperature, precipitation, wind speed and direction, humidity, barometric pressure, and solar radiation send data every 15 minutes with the help of a communication trailer.
Thanks to real-time access to historical data, analysts may now make forecasts that are more accurate and choose whether or not to carry out mining operations safely.
4. Storage Vessel Automation for Maximum Output
Liquid tanks are frequently used in industrial settings. Many of them work quietly in the background, letting their large, yellow, mechanised competitors take the stage.
Instead of making site visits to check tank levels, mining businesses are increasingly embracing automated tank monitoring using satellite technology for communication. Through the use of satellite messaging terminals, all of the tanks and their contents can be monitored, and when maintenance or a refill is overdue, notifications may be sent to the crew.
Mining businesses may more efficiently distribute resources like labour and equipment to fill specific tanks at specific locations by automating the tank refilling process. Additionally, remote communication in mining saves time and money by removing the need for staff to visit individual tanks.
5. Assuring Defence and Safety
Many companies are concerned about safeguarding their employees all the time, especially those who operate in hazardous situations. Every day as they travel on dangerous dirt roads to perform exploration, the contractors, geologists, and management of a mining company in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have to worry about their safety.
To reduce accidents and improve the safety of their mobile workforce, the mining company chose a satellite-cellular tracking system for their vehicles. With the use of this technology, companies can constantly monitor the whereabouts and speeds of their employees and make sure that nobody is operating a vehicle in risky situations or at unsuitable times, such as after dark.
When a vehicle breaks down or there is an urgent situation that needs to be notified to dispatch, there is a panic button available. A dual communication device adds a vital layer of safety and security for personnel traversing vast distances and difficult terrain.
Conclusion
A communication trailer is being more utilised, especially in hard-to-reach areas, such as places where there are mining activities. A mining communications trailer boosts workplace morale on top of other occupational advantages that are crucial for the job and its success.