Underground Mining

IoT Monitoring for
Underground Mines

ROSSMA Ex db wireless sensors for coal and ore mines. Dual certification: 1Ex db IIC T5 Gb X (general industrial) and PB Ex db I Mb X (Mining, Group I). Compliant with GOST R, TR CU 012/2011

Ex db / Mining Group I LoRaWAN Class A GOST R / TR CU 012 Aluminium / Stainless −55 to +80 °C

Dual Ex db certification

Group I — coal mines

Up to 10-year battery life

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2certs

Ex db protection variants

6types

Sensors for underground

10years

Battery life

IP66

Dust & water protection

Underground Mining Challenges

Methane, no connectivity, extreme conditions — safety challenges in underground mines

Methane & Explosion Risk

Coal mines continuously release methane (CH₄). Concentrations of 5–15% are explosive. Fixed gas monitoring is expensive and cannot cover every heading. Only Group I equipment is permitted in methane zones.

Manual Gas Monitoring

Pre-shift gas measurements use portable instruments 1–2 times per shift. Between checks, changes in CH₄, CO, CO₂ levels go undetected. Impossible to track trends over a shift.

No Communications Underground

Conventional wireless systems fail in tunnels: RF signals attenuate around bends. Cable systems are vulnerable to roof falls and costly to maintain across long horizons.

Extreme Conditions

Humidity up to 100%, coal and rock dust, temperatures −55 to +80 °C, potential flooding. Standard electronics fail quickly. IP66 and explosion-proof enclosures are required.

Regulatory Requirements

Authorities require continuous gas atmosphere monitoring in methane mines. TR CU 012/2011, IEC 60079 — strict equipment standards. Fines and work stoppages for violations.

Equipment Tracking

Mine cars, shearers, conveyor sections — hundreds of assets underground. Without automated tracking of movement and operating hours, maintenance planning and logistics are impossible.

ROSSMA Capabilities for Underground Mines

Dual Ex db certification, underground LoRaWAN, autonomous operation — complete mine monitoring

Dual Ex db Certification

Each sensor available in two enclosure variants: aluminium A356 (1Ex db IIC T5 Gb X — general industrial) and stainless steel AISI 316 (PB Ex db I Mb X — Mining, Group I for coal mines). Material switcher on the product page.

Pre-shift & Continuous Gas Monitoring

Dry Contact Ex db and Analog Ex db connect to fixed gas detectors (CH₄, CO, CO₂, O₂). Data transmitted via LoRaWAN to the surface every 30–60 seconds. Alarms when limits are exceeded.

Underground Equipment Vibration Monitoring

Tilt Counter Ex db monitors tilt and vibration of conveyor sections, fans, pumps. Early bearing wear detection 2–8 weeks before failure. Minimizes emergency shutdowns in hard-to-reach headings.

Underground LoRaWAN Network

LoRaWAN Class A adapted for underground use. Repeaters in headings provide coverage. 868 MHz signals penetrate tunnel bends better than WiFi. Up to 2 km range in straight tunnels.

Up to 10-Year Battery Life

FANSO ER34615M battery (3.6V, 14,000 mAh) provides up to 10 years at 10–60 min transmission intervals. No external power — fully autonomous sensor. Critical for remote and hard-to-access headings.

ROSSMA.NETS Integration

Surface control room: mine level schematics, gas trends, ISA-18.2 alarms. Integration with mine SCADA via Modbus TCP, OPC UA, MQTT. Regulatory compliance reports.

Architecture: From Heading to Control Room

Ex db sensors → underground LoRaWAN → NETS Cloud → Surface control room

Ex db Equipment for Underground Mines

Dual certification: aluminium (IIC) and stainless steel (Mining Group I)

Autonomous Wireless Pressure Transmitter ROSSMA IIOT-AMS P-METER

ROSSMA IIOT-AMS 1-Wire Ex db — Explosion-Proof LoRaWAN Temperature Sensor

ROSSMA IIOT-AMS Analog Ex db — Explosion-Proof 4-20 mA LoRaWAN Transmitter

ROSSMA IIOT-AMS Dry Contact Ex db — Explosion-Proof LoRaWAN Dry Contact Sensor

ROSSMA IIOT-AMS Modbus Ex db — Explosion-Proof Modbus-LoRaWAN Gateway

ROSSMA IIOT-AMS Pulse Ex db — Explosion-Proof LoRaWAN Pulse Counter

ROSSMA IIOT-AMS Tilt Counter Ex db — Explosion-Proof LoRaWAN Tilt/Vibration Counter

ROSSMA IIOT-NETS.HMI — Well Pad Monitoring

Economics: Wired Monitoring vs ROSSMA Ex db

Cost of setting up monitoring in underground workings

80%

Installation savings vs wired

1-2 wk

Deployment (vs 3-6 months)

$0/mo

Software subscription fee

Parameter	Wired Monitoring	ROSSMA Ex db IoT
Additional monitoring point	$1,500–3,000 (armoured cables + mine install)	Ex db sensor — price on request
Sensor installation	3–5 days (armoured cables)	15–30 minutes (mount & activate)
Gas monitoring	Fixed systems + cable infrastructure	Dry Contact Ex db + gas detector
Vibration diagnostics	Portable analyzer (walk-around)	Tilt Counter Ex db online 24/7
Maintenance	Periodic cable replacement (corrosion, roof falls)	Battery replacement every 10 years
Scaling	New project + approvals + cables	Add sensor in 15 min

Key Economic Advantages

80% installation savings — no armoured cable runs in workings

Dual certification — one sensor for all underground conditions

Zero monthly software fees for ROSSMA.NETS

Deployment in 1–2 weeks without stopping production

10-year battery — minimal maintenance in hard-to-access headings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 1Ex db IIC T5 and PB Ex db I Mb?

1Ex db IIC T5 Gb X is general industrial explosion protection for zones with Group IIC gases (hydrogen, acetylene, methane). Aluminium A356 enclosure. PB Ex db I Mb X is special certification for mines hazardous due to gas or dust (Mining, Group I). AISI 316 stainless steel enclosure. Both variants share the same Ex db form factor: 256×109×64 mm.

Are sensors suitable for methane coal mines?

Yes. The PB Ex db I Mb X variant is certified per IEC 60079 for Group I equipment — underground workings of mines hazardous due to gas (methane) and/or dust. This protection level is mandatory for coal mines under TR CU 012/2011.

How does LoRaWAN work underground?

LoRaWAN at 868 MHz provides better penetration in tunnels compared to WiFi. Range up to 2 km in straight tunnels. For winding workings, repeaters are placed every 200–500 m. Signal reaches the surface via a LoRaWAN gateway.

What is the sensor battery life in a mine?

FANSO ER34615M battery (3.6V, 14,000 mAh) provides up to 10 years at 10–60 min intervals. For high-frequency measurements (every 10 sec): 1–3 years. Battery swap takes 5 minutes without removing the sensor.

What certifications do the products have?

1Ex db IIC T5 Gb X per IEC 60079-1, PB Ex db I Mb X per IEC 60079-1 (Mining). Both certificates confirm compliance with TR CU 012/2011. IP66 enclosures, −55 to +80 °C range.

Compatible with mine SCADA?

Yes. Modbus Ex db connects up to 32 RS-485 instruments. ROSSMA.NETS integrates with any SCADA via Modbus TCP, OPC UA, MQTT, REST API. Automatic regulatory report generation.

Can we run a pilot project?

Yes. Typical pilot: 3–5 Ex db sensors + 1 underground LoRaWAN gateway + ROSSMA.NETS Cloud. Timeline: 2–4 weeks. Outcome: validated coverage, data quality and SCADA integration.

Implementation cost?

Ex db sensor pricing — on request (depends on enclosure: aluminium or stainless steel). Underground LoRaWAN gateway: ~$2,200. ROSSMA.NETS: $5,500. Monthly fee: $0. Deployment: 1–2 weeks.

Ready to Digitize Your Mine?

Discuss a wireless monitoring pilot project — from heading to control room