Minelert TrackEYE – Track-bound Material Car Tracking

The Problem

Rail bound material car (MC) management & tracking in line with the mine planning/ scheduling system can easily create major challenges as MCs are not returned to surface in time resulting in higher maintenance costs and breaches of compliance (explosive carrying cars). Not knowing the correct transition figures of the MCs often results in MCs being lost underground for unknown time periods impacting on the availability of MCs on surface to be loaded for material supply to the face.

Without a proper tracking and reporting system the following challenges persists:

– MC transition status unknown

– MC availability on surface

– Unknown direction of movement (if underground infrastructure is deployed)

– Cars not surfacing within business rules

– Not knowing unreturned MC locations

– No concept of financial loss of nonreturning MCs

– No DMR compliance management of explosive carrying MCs

The Solution

Moab Khotsong, the deepest single shaft in the world started using the Minelert TrackEYE location tags on their MCs in 2015.

The Minelert TrackEYE System enables the client to monitor MC transitions and movements per shift daily. The same Missing Persons Locator System (MPLS) is used to follow MC movements and keep track of MC transition to surface to view availability and usage.

The Minelert TrackEYE is a zoning system and makes use of active tracking technology, which is installed on the MC. Tag readers are strategically installed in work areas depending on the business requirements. This data is recorded on the reader and sent to the TrackEYE server on the client network or Minelert Cloud Service where it is displayed to business owners and operators. Custom reports are designed according to specific client requirements.

The Benefits

The benefits of tracking MCs in underground mines include but is not limited to

– Always know the transition status of all MCs
– MC availability on the surface for material loading
– Know MC availability per MC type
– Explosive cars not returning to the surface in 7 days is easily identified and rectified (DMR Compliance)
– Daily Email reports directly to business owners
– Set up business rules for alerts according to specific business requirements
– Can search for non-returning cars in last seen zones (if the infrastructure is implemented)