Page 26 Contd from pg 22 nical staf as well as they too have quicker access to the data they need to execute thei r functions In the past that data was written on a piece of paper and brought to surface where it was subsequently entered into the system Roberts says the company is explor ing ways to develop an app that can store critical data for equipment that can be accessed digitally under ground rather than on paper In the meantime every day operations are greatly enhanced For example we had a piece of equipme nt break down and rather than a mech anic at tending and fnding out the replace ment part that was needed the em ployee just took a photo of the piece that was broken and sent it to the me chanic in the shop so he could bring the right piece straight away In gen eral the guys are all on board with the phones Operating the deepest base metal mine in the world comes with its share of technical and operational challenges For decades Glencore s Kidd Creek Mine Operations in T immins has stra tegically implemented some of the latest technology as a means of ensur ing safe and cost efective production from a depth of three kilome ters be low surface This has included the implementation of automated loaders ventilationon demand employee and equipment tracking equipment telemetr y prox imity warning gas monitoring pre dictive geotec hnical modelli ng and improved communication infrastruc ture W ith it the new technology has also brought about many safety benefts The original benefts intended to be achieved by the technology with a specifc focus on the addition al safety enhancements and risk mitigation Hard hat lights are already embedded with tracking chips so the phone is not an additional tracking device but a tool only According to Roberts the senior man agement team is continuing to explore new ways that the phones can be used to improve production times enhance safety and enhance communications Page 24 By Martin Foster Aggreko Head of Local Business Southern Africa Consistent ventilation and tem perature control are essential to the welfare of the employees working in the mines Fractional changes in the tem perature or air quality inside a mine can damage equipm ent or reduce performance and efciency Handling the heat temperatur e contr ol ventilation and mining efciency potentially leaving those working in the mine exposed to harmful con taminants V entilation systems are crucial in removing harmful fumes that occur during the extraction process For example in the case of coal mines gasses released during the mining process can be extremely combus tible meaning under ground fres are a potentially deadly but avoidable risk When it comes to improving over all working conditions under ground the efciency and power of the cool ing and ventilation systems is key Both scientifc research and common practice show that heat exhaustion is far less likely to occur if the ventila tion and cooling systems are running at greater than 250 Wm2 at an un der ground work site Controlling and regulating tempera tures under ground as well as extract ing moisture and contaminants is one of the most efective ways of en suring that the safety and welfare of employees is maintained and mine productivity remains at the highest levels possible Page 24