Automated Monitoring for an Innovative Underground Mine in Eastern Europe 2021
Ramjack partners with leading wireless data acquisition technology provider, Ackcio, to overcome signal interference and blockage for an underground mining customer.
Manual readings with hand-held data loggers were historically inefficient, time-consuming, and potentially dangerous.
A gold and copper mine in Eastern Europe comprises approximately 100 kilometres of underground tunnels whose structural integrity must be regularly monitored to ensure worker safety and manage risk. And manual readings only provide a snapshot of what’s happening underground, elevating risk significantly, as geological forces could cause dangerous changes to tunnel safety and stability between readings. The mine, recognized as a leader in digital innovation, approached Ramjack to automate its geotechnical data collection by connecting sensors to its WiFi network.
A gold and copper mine in Eastern Europe
RAMJACK Technology Solutions (RTS) – a specialized, systems integrator dedicated to operations technology for the mining industry in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.
ACKCIO builds reliable wireless data acquisition systems for industrial monitoring applications. The company automates monitoring processes and provides remote, intelligent data to enable increased safety and efficient risk management in mission-critical industries, including construction, infrastructure, mining, and rail.
Ramjack chose the Ackcio Beam wireless data acquisition solution to overcome the mine’s transmission challenges.
- The technology solution comprises three Ackcio Analogue Nodes (BEAM-AN-S4) monitoring three multi-point borehole extensometers located up to 150 metres from the mine’s nearest access point. The battery-powered nodes transmit readings to two Ackcio Gateways (BEAM-GW)–and all without extra cabling or power supply. The Gateway then sends the data to the mine’s WiFi network.
- This solution relies upon Ackcio’s patented, long-range wireless mesh communication system. Developed over years of research in the wireless networking field, it automatically mitigates common wireless problems, such as signal interference and blockage.
- Reliable communication in an underground environment
- Eliminates the need for manual data collection
- Ultra-low power consumption
- No cabling, power supply needed for nodes
- Remotely adjust reading frequency
- Easy to scale
- Since July 2021, the patented Ackcio Mesh technology is reliably transmitting real-time data from the mine’s underground sensors to its WiFi network, eliminating the need for workers to go underground to take manual readings. It has also increased the mine’s risk management, as its operators can monitor and respond to changing conditions in real-time.
- As the need occurs, the team has the flexibility to change the number of readings or the time between readings
- Because the product is agnostic, it has integrated seamlessly with multiple technology sensors and software platforms to provide an end-to-end solution.
- Next steps are to expand the Ackcio system in up to 14 more sensor locations and over longer distances.