Coal Production and Transportation Monitoring System for Opencast Mines

Abstract

Coal production and transportation monitoring system for opencast mines has been designed aiming at checking overloading of coal on trucks or dumpers and its efficient disposal from a mine site, and at the same time stopping of illegal transportation of coal through unauthorized routes. The system consists of five modules, namely (i) Weighbridge automation module for manless checking of overloading of coal on trucks or dumpers; (ii) Vehicle tracking and production module for keeping continuous watch on the vehicles on transportation routes, and monitoring of production as well as providing advice on optimum use of shovels and dumper and other auxiliary equipment to minimize their idling time; (iii) Close circuit television cameras for keeping their surrounding under constant vigilance, particularly to watch vehicles carrying coal; (iv) Periphery surveillance module for detecting intrusion of vehicles with the intention of illegal transportation of coal through unauthorized routes; and (v) Centralized monitoring station for overseeing all the activities of production monitoring and transport surveillance from a central location. This system would definitely be proved to be a boon to coal industry as it is quite effective in averting financial loss due to illegal coal transportation and at the same time improving the efficiency of smooth coal dispatch by optimum use of shovels and dumpers.