Deploying Rajant Kinetic Mesh Underground: Lessons from Mines

Underground mines are one of the most demanding industrial environments, where wireless communication is of the utmost importance. Shifting rocks, narrow tunnels, and moving equipment create interference and obstacles for wireless performance. Resilient, ruggedized network nodes reduce risk, making deployment safer, more reliable, and significantly improving ROI.

To provide a deeper perspective on the challenges and opportunities of wireless networking in underground mining, Andrew Chapman, Director of Strategic Accounts at Rajant Corporation, shares insights on our Kinetic Mesh technology. With extensive experience in industrial wireless communication and years of supporting mining operations worldwide, Andrew brings a wealth of technical expertise and practical knowledge for wireless communications for underground and open-pit mines.

Key Features

Mesh networks provide a modern solution that performs where traditional systems fall short. Built on a decentralized structure, each node in the network communicates with the others, forming a self-sustaining web of connections that automatically adapts to changes underground. Below are some key features that you can find in our mesh network:

1. Self-Healing Design: If one node goes offline or becomes obstructed, data is automatically rerouted through other nodes, preventing network interruptions.

2. Scalability: New nodes can be easily added as mining operations expand, ensuring continuous coverage without major infrastructure changes.

3. Mobility: Vehicles and equipment can move throughout the mine without losing signal, maintaining seamless wireless communication across dynamic work zones.

4. Cost Efficiency: Eliminates the need for extensive cabling or fixed infrastructure, reducing installation and maintenance costs.

5. High Reliability: Provides multiple communication paths for redundancy, minimizing downtime, and supporting critical safety systems.

6. Versatility: Supports a wide range of applications—from video surveillance and telemetry to voice communications and real-time data analytics.

Case Applications

Discover how this Brazilian mine leveraged Rajant BreadCrumb nodes to deliver real-time data, low latency, high bandwidth, and increased ROI in this case study. At this mine site, Rajant was able to produce stable communication throughout 160 kilometers of underground workings. The results were great, resulting in consistent wireless communication within this area.

To explore how these technologies can be applied to your own operation, contact Rajant to discuss customized Kinetic Mesh solutions. You can also connect with Andrew Chapman on LinkedIn to continue the conversation and gain deeper insights into underground wireless deployments.

About Andrew Chapman

Andrew Chapman holds B. Eng. (McGill University, Montreal, Canada) and M.A. Sc (Queen's University, Kingston, Canada) degrees both in Mining Engineering. He started his career in mining operations, ending up as a mining technology manager at the Corporate level. Since then he has held a variety of roles on the consulting and vendor sides (Technical Sales, Project/Product Management) and most recently as a Mine Site Performance Manager for a large mining OEM.