Distributed alarm data acquisition system keeps infrastructure connected across 17,000 hectare mine

Remote monitoring specialist Omniflex has helped wireless data communications systems firm Scan RF implement site-wide monitoring systems at the 17,000 hectare Kolomela iron-ore mine in South Africa. Omniflex has provided Teleterm M3 modules for each of the mine’s 12 out stations to monitor key parameters such as access control, fire alarms, air conditioning, temperature and humidity and relay data to the mine’s central control room. It has also provided Teleterm Silent Sentry modules at the central control room to send customised alerts to off-site personnel in the event of any critical incidents.

Scan RF was tasked to provide telemetry systems across the Anglo American Kolomela iron-ore mine and installed all necessary infrastructure equipment, such as antennas and power supplies, and provided handheld two-way radios for mine personnel. The firm engaged Omniflex to take advantage of this infrastructure to provide the mine with site-wide monitoring capabilities as the large geographical area of the mine meant physically visiting out stations to collect data was costly and time inefficient. 

Omniflex provided a solution in the form of its Teleterm M3 remote terminal unit (RTU), which it installed at each of the mine’s twelve out stations. These modules collected all key operational data and relayed it to the mine’s central control room where it was displayed on a large television screen so all data was clearly visible. This TV was duplicated to a smaller display that could be set up to customise what data was visualised at any given moment and provided limited control capabilities for the out stations.

Omniflex also integrated its Silent Sentry module into the control room’s systems so it can send SMS alerts to key off-site personnel in the event of any critical events requiring action.

“The instrumentation we provided for Scan RF enabled the Anglo American mine to quickly implement site-wide remote monitoring capabilities without the need for extra infrastructure to be installed,” explained Ian Loudon, international marketing manager at Omniflex. “We also integrated our systems into the mine’s SNMP IT system so that the mine’s computer network get the same alarms as those sent to the central control room.

“Following successful rollout of the systems at the Kolomela mine’s twelve out stations, Scan RF has been commissioned to expand the project and we are working together to proceed with this job in the coming months.”