Extracting the metals and minerals essential for producing the energy and goods we rely on is a demanding process, that integrates cutting-edge technology, advanced machinery, and skilled human labour to optimise efficiency, productivity, and safety. Communicating in these high-risk environments is critical to maintaining the safety of all personnel and ensuring maximised productivity.

WORKING SMARTER AND SAFER

Mining workers face daily risks, whether they are involved in surface, subsurface, placer, or in situ operations. The primary technology used to reduce these risks and mitigate the effects of accidents and major incidents is wireless communications and untethered devices, which ensure a

reliable, high-redundancy, and resilient connection between the miner and the surface always and throughout the entire mining area.

Selected two-way radios from the Kenwood NX1000 range are offered by Global Communications with an unprecedented five-year warranty (subject to terms and conditions).

THE FOUR PILLARS

There are several non-negotiable factors that two-way radios need to possess to be considered an effective communications solution in the harsh, and often remote mining environment:

• Resistance to temperature extremes - KENWOOD portable radio devices are designed and tested to operate in a temperature range between -30°C and +60°C.

• Dust, moisture, vibration, and shock resistant - Mining, tunnelling and quarrying environments require equipment that can withstand dust, moisture, and toxic exposure. KENWOOD portable radio devices are rated to IP54/55/67 and 68 and MIL-STD 810 C/D/E/F/G to provide protection against the ingress of dust, salt, grit and moisture and resistance to vibration and shock.

• Fit for purpose - Many mine workers wear gloves, so radios need to be easy to operate and able to withstand repeated button pushing. The PTT (push to talk) buttons on KENWOOD radios deployed in the field in several mines in southern Africa were exposed to repeated and ongoing tests and measured a PTT reliability in excess of 100 000 activations.

• Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) - In tests, KENWOOD radios have achieved MTBF values of up to 40 000 hours, making them ideal for use in mines, where radios are essential to supporting safe, efficient operations.

FLEXIBLE INTEGRATION

KENWOOD DMR and NEXEDGE NXDN radiocommunication systems can be configured in conventional, IP, trunked, simulcast, and multi-frequency formats and are compatible with DAS and Leaky Feeder System infrastructures typically used in mining operations.