– Energy costs are the often the most significant operational costs in a mine, so it was critical (for us) to review how to manage this area better, says Pascal Morin, Goldcorp ’s manager of technology and communications.

In 2012, the company launched an energy strategy with five-year targets that included increasing energy efficiency by 15% and reducing emissions by 20%.

To meet such goals, Goldcorp implemented Cisco’s Connected Mining solution, at the center of which is a robust underground network. The solution allows Goldcorp to manage communications with personnel via a single, multiservice, secure IP network that workers above- or below-ground can access via a variety of wired or mobile devices, including smartphones.

The implications of improved connectivity underground have been huge.

-It can take a supervisor up to 30–40 minutes to go back up to the surface. If that employee can check email or attend a meeting via video conference underground, the time savings – and thus the attendant productivity gains – are “quite significant”.

Smart ventilation pays off

Goldcorp also connected its AeroScout/Stanley RFID tags, worn by all underground employees as a tracking and safety tool and attached to the Éléonore mine’s 80 pieces of underground machinery, with an intelligent ventilation system.

The mine’s intelligent ventilation system detects miners’ and vehicles’ location, turning on ventilation fans only as needed. The system also identifies the type of vehicle passing into an area and adjusts the fans’ speed based on that vehicle’s emissions.

Goldcorp estimates that the new ventilation system will generate sales of up to $2.5 million compared to conventional ventilation systems. A reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is an additional bonus.

Because the connected RFID devices let Goldcorp track miners at all times, above-ground personnel can identify and respond to emergencies immediately, reducing evacuation time. This means improved safety as no longer is there a threat of having to scramble to locate miners and response teams, the article adds.