MINING MINING MINING MINING MINING 
Project Fact Sheet 
WIRELESS MINE-WIDE TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
BENEFITS 
TECHNOLOGY 
• Increases practicality of fully 
• Increases underground mine 
• Increases underground mine 
• Reduces construction needs in 
autonomous equipment 
safety 
productivity 
underground mines 
APPLICATION 
Wireless mine-wide 
telecommunications throughout the 
mine will allow underground 
personnel and surface personnel 
to communicate through voice and 
data transmissions. This 
technology will increases safety 
and efficiency in underground 
mines. 
WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR 
A DEDICATED HARD-WIRED NETWORK 
Project partners will design and test a comprehensive wireless mining 
communications system that will allow two-way communications among 
underground personnel and between underground and surface personnel. The 
wireless system will not require any dedicated cable inside the mine or between 
the mine interior and surface. This technology will increase system reliability and 
simplify the installation process considerably making it less disruptive to mining 
operations. 
Two methods of signal transmission will be studied. The methods differ in 
formatting approaches. The studies will center on evaluating the results of these 
approaches in terms of differences in product cost, clarity of signal and freedom 
from interference. The chosen system will be optimized for performance and 
reliability. 
REMOTE INTERFACE 
Remote Interface stations like the one above is similar to the wireless communication 
stations 
OFFICE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES 
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Project Description 
Objective: To develop a two-way, real-time, wireless communications system for 
use in underground mines. This technology will lower the cost of mining by 
increasing productivity as well as increase the safety of miners. 
Progress and Milestones 
PROJECT PARTNERS This project includes the following activities: 
• Develop in-mine voice capability Transtek, Inc. 
Pittsburgh, PA 
• Expand the through-the-earth voice technology to data transmission 
capability 
University of Pittsburgh 
Pittsburgh, PA 
• Develop the digital data transmission capability of the in-mine system Victor Products USA 
Cranberry Twp, PA 
• Develop tracking sensors and beacons to track positions of personnel and 
equipment National Institute for Occupational 
Safety and Health 
Pittsburgh, PA • Test the wireless telecommunication systems 
CONSOL, Inc. 
Library, PA 
Gateway Commerce Center 
Wampum, PA 
A limestone mine in Wampum, Pennsylvania and a coal mine owned by CONSOL, 
Inc. have given permission to use their mines as test sites. Arrangements have 
also been made to use an experimental coal mine operated by National Institute 
for Occupational Safety and Health for testing and demonstrations. 
Commercialization Plan 
Marketing and sales will be done through Transtek, Inc. in collaboration 
with Victor Products USA, a Federal Signal Corporation company. 
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, 
PLEASE CONTACT: 
Office of Industrial Technologies 
Clearinghouse 
Phone: (800) 862-2086 
Fax: (360) 586-8303 
clearinghouse@ee.doe.gov 
Visit our home page at 
www.oit.doe.gov/mining 
Office of Industrial Technologies 
Energy Efficiency 
and Renewable Energy 
U.S. Department of Energy 
Washington, D.C. 20585 
January 2001