Dec 30 2010
Remote Control Technologies’ (RCT) infrared remote control system has been deployed in the Telfer underground gold mine.
With the newly adopted control system, block cave chute doors can be activated from a remote safe location. This eliminates the situation of chute operators activating the chutes through hard-wired umbilical controls, standing over a gantry adjacent to the trucks.
The remote control system controls the chutes through an infrared RX/TX system, which has precluded the need for licenses and radio signals. The short-range control system will not be affected by interference from mine radio or any other signal. In the Telfer mine, the company has installed a Maxi Vision camera system that includes the RCT 5555 underground Control Master specification camera. The camera is mounted over the chutes so that it can be seen by the truck operator.
The Western Australia Mining Area Sales Manager of RCT, Phil Dean stated that because of the short-distance operating range, infrared solution was selected. The system avoided the need of exposure to dust, poor ventilation, heat, and fumes for the operators.