Productivity and Safety through

Mine-Spec digital applications

real-time DPM
token count monitoring

Ventilation District
Threshold=200

Fig1.
Example Ventilation District
with a threshold of 200. Pre-Check Area

1 2

3 4

Automated Vehicle Monitoring for Real-Time DPM Control

and Production Optimisation in Underground Mines.

Diesel-powered equipment has been utilised in underground
mines for over 50 years. The exhaust emitted by diesel engines
includes diesel particulate matter (DPM) and is now understood
to be a health hazard. This is of particular concern in the
underground environment where concentrations of DPM and
gases can quickly rise if ventilation is inadequate.
DPM is a submicron aerosol and therefore a respirable dust.
Due to its size, it will not settle to the ground but instead remain
airborne, not only affecting the original location it is released, but
will travel to surrounding workplaces.
Monitoring DPM is critical to ensure that workers are not
submitted to emission levels above the indicated threshold for
a specific ventilation district. Putting in place an automated
solution will capture and analyse important information regarding
machinery and equipment efficiency, and maintenance status,
delivering valuable business benefits as well as minimising impact
to production and output.
To address these challenges, Mine Site Technologies (MST) has
developed a real-time DPM Token Count Monitoring solution for
underground diesel vehicles in mining, particularly coal mines.
This automated solution manages the number of vehicles operating
per ventilation district by monitoring the individual DPM token count
for each vehicle in relation to the total DPM threshold for that district.
Each vehicle is periodically tested for emissions, and the results of
the test entered into a database. From this data, an appropriate DPM
emission value is calculated (DPM Token) and the monitoring system
can respond if the test result record for a particular vehicle exceeds
an allowable age, or if the value itself exceeds a pre-set threshold.
Likewise, the threshold for a ventilation district can be updated in
the system in response to any change in ventilation volumes.
The DPM Token Count Monitoring solution can be used to support
multiple ventilation districts, and works by providing automated
logging of total DPM token count as vehicles enter or exit a ventilation
district. A live LED display of the current token count is visible at the
ventilation district entry point. Vehicles are monitored in a pre-check
area at the entry point, where the LED display indicates whether
access is denied or granted. The system can also optionally check if a
brake test is overdue, and deny access if warranted. DPM reports are
created through a central dashboard which also manages alarms and
warnings.
 real-time DPM
token count monitoring

The system utilises the IMPACT Digital Network infrastructure

Solution Features
from Mine Site Technologies, as well as the IMPACT
Communication Appliance (ICA), an integrated hardware
TRACKS TOTAL DPM TOKEN COUNT AS VEHICLES
and software platform that provides a holistic view of voice, ENTER OR EXIT VENTILATION DISTRICT
tracking and networking solutions.
Data can be accessed in real-time via an intuitive browser-based PROVIDES LIVE LED DISPLAY OF CURRENT TOKEN COUNT
tracking and reporting application, allowing operators and mine AT VENTILATION DISTRICT ENTRY POINT
controllers to accurately and efficiently monitor, track and allocate
personnel and resources. This provides the control room user with PRE-CHECK AREA AT VEHICLE ENTRY POINT, WHERE LED
a single interface to view all of the mine’s tracking, communications, DISPLAY INDICATES IF ACCESS IS DENIED OR GRANTED
vehicle health and payload data.
Immediate access to real-time data through the ICA means that a CAN OPTIONALLY CHECK IF VEHICLE BRAKE TEST IS
replacement vehicle can quickly be deployed if a particular vehicle OVERDUE, AND DENY ACCESS IF WARRANTED
needs to be taken out of operation due to excessive DPM levels
or maintenance requirements. Apart from the health and safety CENTRAL DASHBOARD FOR DPM REPORTING AND
considerations associated with monitoring of diesel vehicles, this fast MANAGEMENT OF ALARMS AND WARNINGS
access to actionable data ensures minimum disruption to production
and optimised output for the mine.
SUPPORTS MULTIPLE VENTILATION DISTRICTS

Real-Time DPM Token Count Monitoring for:

• Wi-Fi Digital Networks  

• Automation Enablement  
• Personnel and Asset Tracking
• Proximity Detection  
• Vehicle Monitoring and Optimisation  
• VoIP Communications
• Ventilation Monitoring & Control  
• Emergency Communications  
• Remote Centralised Blasting
• Pipeline and Surface Communication Networks 
• Surface Mesh

Fig2. Example DPM site rule applied to a specific zone.

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