Advantages of integrating automated process control systems of coal mines with positioning systems

Coal mining companies, especially those involved in underground operations, are currently at different stages on their way to digitalization and face a number of challenges, which are described in the article. One group of such problems is the difficulties concerned with the coal mine dispatching control. The paper shows how a properly selected approach, i.e. the integration of various automated process control systems with positioning systems, provides a solution to these problems and offers significant advantages both regarding the industrial safety and maximizing the economic effect. Examples of such integration are given for the conveyor transport control system, for the air and mine gas control systems as well as a CCTV systems with positioning systems within the Smart Mine® complex. An assessment of the current technical basis for the implementation of this approach is given, and the advantages of using a single platform for subsystems of the multi-functional safety system and production management systems are shown.