Case study for mines and mineral exploration

Enabling remote mineral exploration and operations monitoring for coal india

Client

Coal India, Mineral Exploration Team

Industry

Mining

Location

Remote Areas, India

Challenge

Coal India’s Mineral Exploration team faces significant operational challenges in remote, jungle-like areas with no connectivity. Their exploration work requires frequent trips to these areas to take measurements, but there is no reliable way to transmit data from the field to headquarters. As a result, the team must travel back to areas with connectivity to upload data, and then return to continue their work. This process is time-consuming, inefficient, and prone to safety risks due to lack of situational awareness in the remote areas they are exploring.

Moreover, Coal India’s operations still rely on outdated wired technologies, which significantly hamper the efficiency and effectiveness of their remote monitoring. They face difficulties with:

  • Remote machine health monitoring
  • Tracking moving objects
  • Running remote ERP solutions
  • Overall situational awareness

Solution Provided by Vistaarnksh Pvt. Ltd.:

Vistaarnksh proposed an integrated IoT connectivity solution to address the needs of Coal India’s Mineral Exploration team and improve operational efficiency. This solution combined LoRaWAN, 5G, SATCOM, Bluetooth, and Vistaarnksh’s proprietary software stack for real-time data transmission, remote machine monitoring, and increased safety through situational awareness.

Key Components of the Solution

  1. Remote Data Connectivity and Transmission:
    • LoRaWAN, SATCOM, and Bluetooth technologies would enable continuous, real-time data transmission from remote locations, eliminating the need for the team to travel back to upload data.
    • 5G will be used where possible for high-speed data transfer, ensuring that all field data is transmitted instantly to the main office.
  2. Real-Time Machine Health Monitoring:
    • Remote monitoring of machinery and equipment using IoT sensors connected through LoRaWAN ensures continuous health checks and immediate alerts for any issues, reducing downtime and operational disruptions.
    • The solution will allow Coal India to monitor the condition of machines in real time, remotely diagnosing faults and optimizing maintenance schedules.
  3. Tracking Moving Objects:
    • The solution includes GPS-based tracking for monitoring vehicles, equipment, and personnel in the field. This ensures that Coal India’s exploration team can safely navigate remote areas with enhanced situational awareness.
    • Real-time location data will help in tracking exploration teams and equipment, ensuring safety and providing critical updates in case of emergencies.
  4. Remote ERP Solutions:
    • Vistaarnksh’s connectivity solution enables the remote operation of ERP systems, allowing Coal India to run essential business processes such as data entry, project management, and resource planning while the exploration team is in the field.
    • The integration of cloud-based ERP ensures that all necessary data is updated in real time, allowing for faster decision-making and reducing delays.
  5. Proprietary Software Stack and TerraSat Gateway:
    • Vistaarnksh’s proprietary software stack running on the TerraSat gateway integrates all communication protocols with SATCOM, ensuring efficient bandwidth management and seamless connectivity in remote locations.
    • The stack also manages data flow between different devices and systems, allowing for real-time monitoring and diagnostics.
  6. Enhanced Situational Awareness:
    • The unified dashboard provides Coal India’s Mineral Exploration team with a centralized view of operations, monitoring equipment health, tracking the location of personnel and equipment, and gaining insights into environmental factors affecting exploration activities.

Impact & Results

  • Increased Operational Efficiency: The continuous connectivity solution reduces the need for back-and-forth trips, saving time and resources.
  • Enhanced Safety: Real-time tracking and monitoring of equipment and personnel improves safety and ensures that exploration teams are always aware of their surroundings.
  • Remote Monitoring and Reduced Downtime: With real-time machine health monitoring, Coal India can proactively address potential issues, reducing downtime and improving overall operational reliability.
  • Improved Data Accessibility: Remote data uploads, integrated with ERP systems, streamline operations and improve the speed and accuracy of decision-making.
  • Scalable Solution: The solution is scalable to accommodate future exploration projects and equipment, ensuring long-term operational benefits.

Conclusion:

Vistaarnksh’s innovative IoT connectivity solution transforms Coal India’s Mineral Exploration operations by providing continuous connectivity in remote areas, enhancing machine monitoring, tracking moving objects, and facilitating remote ERP functions. This solution improves operational efficiency, safety, and decision-making, enabling Coal India to optimize exploration efforts and reduce downtime.