MST Global is improving safety and productivity in underground mines with its modular hardware and software solutions.
As technology evolves at a rapid pace, it is becoming more of a challenge for mines to maintain interoperability between communications and safety systems.
While mine operators prefer to have the flexibility to buy from different vendors, this freedom can, somewhat ironically, become a restraint.
Having multiple systems on-site means operators must ensure those systems are able to talk to and interface with each other.
Multiple systems also means multiple vendors, which can cause logistical issues. Some vendors may be more responsive than others, while others may not be in the practice of regularly updating their product.
A break in this chain, the strength of which depends on so many parties, jeopardises a whole operation. That’s why mining companies are favouring a single port of call when it comes to communication and safety systems.
Not a link in a chain, but a suit of armour. Not a vendor, but a technology partner.
MST Global, which has been making underground mines safer and more productive for more than 30 years, is just such a partner. The company has a portfolio of safety and productivity solutions perfectly suited to the resources sector.
When it comes to communication technology, MST is a one-stop-shop for miners. This helps to remove the stress and time delays that can be associated with multiple vendors, giving operators more time to focus on what they do best – production.
“We create a partnership with our customers to help them achieve their goals, providing seamless integration between our modular solutions, which encompass everything from telemetry to safety to productivity,” MST general manager of product management and marketing Alexander Gawad told Safe to Work.
“Everything comes together in a very tightly integrated way.”
HELIX is MST’s modular software platform for underground mining. The foundation module allows real-time location tracking of personnel and assets using Wi-Fi tags. This is accomplished through MST’s wireless network infrastructure, eliminating the need for dedicated tracking infrastructure.
But where HELIX really distinguishes itself is in its modular design. Mine sites can adopt modular software features such as equipment condition-monitoring, sensor-monitoring for strata and environmental conditions, fleet-management system, automation solutions, and many more.
These options help operators customise their approach to mine safety and productivity, allowing them to focus on a range of factors at once, or home in on niche issues affecting their site.
Modularity also means operators are not bound to an entire package but can instead purchase modules as needed, helping to manage capital expenditure, and providing scalability as operations grow or demand for complex solutions increases.
The solutions
HELIX IoT (Internet of Things) is a software module that works in tandem with its hardware counterpart, AXON Gateway.
The AXON Gateway collects data from different sensors around a mine, and HELIX IoT displays that information via an easy-to-read dashboard.
While AXON Gateway and HELIX IoT are both MST products, the sensors are third-party products that MST sources for its customers when integrating the solution to a mine.
“These sensors can be used to measure a range of factors in the environment and on structures,” MST product manager for HELIX Ramodh Rangasamy said.
“These can be used to measure key data such as strata movement, diesel particulate matter, air quality, temperature humidity, equipment temperature, and so on.
“We provide the sensors based on what a mine is trying to achieve, and then AXON Gateway and HELIX act in tandem to communicate this information. This gives mine operators a clear view of what’s going on inside their mine.”
HELIX Sentinel is a digital tagboard that extends the safety capabilities of traditional personnel tag-in, tag-out systems at mines.
“Sentinel gives mines a visual representation of who is underground,” Rangasamy said.
“In addition, we can set some rules to, for example, track if people have been underground longer than they should be or if they are entering a restricted area.
“In such a case, Sentinel will show a notification in the digital tagboard and action can be taken.”
Sentinel can be accessed on any browser-enabled device, giving operators and supervisors the ability to keep an eye on their people while on the go.
If Sentinel is the eyes on a mine, then HELIX Automation is the brain. This system works in tandem with, AXON Control. This combo is best understood as a rule engine.
Rangasamy explains it best.
“With HELIX Automation, we can create rules based on different inputs, like sensor readings or asset and personnel positioning, and the system triggers a response,” he said.
“For example, if a sensor reads that the temperature or water level is too high in an area, then the system can activate automatically to turn on a ventilator or water pump.”
Moving into the production side of things, HELIX Dispatch is MST’s fleet-management solution that helps underground mines to maximise their material extraction by increasing productivity.
“We accomplish this through task management and equipment-status tracking, allowing command centres to monitor the activities and statuses of vehicles in real-time, meaning that any decisions or adjustments can also be made in real-time,” MST product manager of Dispatch Nick Rebeiro said.
“One of the other foundational pieces of Dispatch is automating production-tracking, which eliminates the need for operators to manually write down their load data, saving a lot of time”
While vehicles in a mining operation seldom stop, network connections are not always so predictable.
“No matter how good our networks are, you can’t create a system that relies on perfect coverage,” Rebeiro said.
“HELIX Dispatch was designed to work offline, meaning it can run all of the logistics on-board and then re-synchronise once the network connection is re-established.”
On the safety side of the equation, Dispatch has digitised and enhanced existing processes such as pre-start checks.
MST has another two modules currently in development: Telemetry, a machine health monitoring software; and Safety, a tool for teams to analyse collision events.
HELIX is constantly expanding to help optimise mine-sites safety and operational performance. This is not only achieved through the addition of new modules but also in the improvement of existing modules through software updates.
“HELIX is purchased via annual subscription basis, meaning customers benefit from receiving regular updates to maintain and add new features and capabilities,” Gawad said.
“HELIX is not a one-off sale and product; we partner with our customers, listen to what they need, and deliver those additional capabilities.
“What we offer is a multi-tool for mine safety, productivity, and automation. With HELIX, there is a solution to most problems in the underground.”
This feature also appears in the July-August issue of Safe to Work.