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Making Conveyor Operations More Visible and Measurable
Safe mining depends on early risk detection, reliable operational data, and effective oversight. Risks such as production beyond approved capacity, conveyor equipment faults, unreliable output records, and limited visibility into individual working faces can complicate both mine management and supervision.
As mines advance their digitalization and smart-mining initiatives, coal flow monitoring, production-data cross-checking, and conveyor safety alerts are becoming increasingly important parts of day-to-day operational control.
VI-LiDAR’s mining conveyor volume measurement system uses high-frequency infrared LiDAR for non-contact scanning. The scanner captures the cross-sectional profile of material on a moving belt; combined with belt-speed data, the system calculates instantaneous and cumulative volumetric flow. It also monitors conveyor operating conditions, bringing material-flow statistics and selected conveyor-risk alerts into one system. The explosion-protected equipment is designed for use in underground mining environments as well as suitable surface installations.
Surface Operations: Adding an Independent Check to Existing Measurement
At mine entrances and surface facilities, electronic belt scales and nuclear belt scales are commonly used for production measurement. However, each approach has operational considerations:
Electronic belt scales are contact-based systems. Belt tension, idler wear, and material build-up can affect readings and contribute to zero drift, making periodic calibration and maintenance necessary.
Nuclear belt scales involve additional controls for radioactive-source registration, operation, maintenance, and end-of-life disposal.
Installed above a surface conveyor, VI-LiDAR’s LiDAR system measures material without contact and can be deployed without modifying the existing conveyor frame. It is intended to provide an independent volumetric data source that can be compared with readings from the existing belt-weighing equipment. This cross-check can help operators identify possible scale drift, unusual data patterns, or discrepancies that warrant investigation. It can support production oversight and the identification of potential over-capacity production risks.
The system can also provide alerts for belt misalignment, uneven material loading, and potential blockages at transfer points. Combining volume monitoring with selected conveyor-condition alerts may reduce the need for separate, overlapping monitoring devices.
Underground Mining: Monitoring Coal Flow in Demanding Conditions
Underground working faces and main roadways present challenging operating conditions, including heavy dust, vibration, and moisture. Conventional belt-scale retrofits can require substantial installation work and may need ongoing calibration. Meanwhile, standalone misalignment and blockage sensors typically report individual conditions rather than providing a broader view of coal flow across multiple belts.
VI-LiDAR’s explosion-protected LiDAR conveyor monitoring equipment is designed for underground use in coal mines. With IP67/IP68 protection options, depending on the configuration, the equipment can be suited to dusty and humid environments. The exact protection rating and applicable explosion-protection specifications should be confirmed for the model and installation environment.
Deployed on conveyors serving different underground working areas, the system can record volumetric coal-flow data by mining area. These records can support internal production assessment, analysis of mining sequences, and operational review. At the same time, monitoring for belt misalignment, uneven loading, and material build-up at transfer points can provide earlier warning of conditions that may lead to belt damage or unplanned downtime.
The system supports a standardized TCP communication protocol, enabling integration with existing mine-wide automation platforms, subject to the interface requirements of the target system.
Supporting Safer Production and Better-Informed Oversight
For mine operators
- Improve visibility into coal flow along conveyor routes.
- Retain multi-point flow records for production reviews and mining-sequence analysis.
- Identify discrepancies between volumetric monitoring data and belt-scale readings for further investigation.
- Receive alerts for selected conveyor risks, helping teams respond before minor issues escalate.
- Potentially reduce duplicated monitoring hardware and associated maintenance work.
For production oversight and supervision
- Provide an independent data stream for cross-checking against existing weighing equipment.
- Help flag unusual production data and potential over-capacity production risks for further review.
- Build a more complete picture of output across multiple underground working areas.
Conclusion: From Reactive Alerts to Data-Informed Prevention
Safer mining operations depend on detecting risks early and maintaining reliable records. By applying non-contact LiDAR scanning to conveyor belt volume measurement, VI-LiDAR’s mining conveyor monitoring system helps mines build a more integrated view of material flow and selected conveyor operating risks across surface and underground operations. With volumetric data, cross-checking capabilities, and integration with existing automation platforms, the system supports the ongoing development of smarter, more visible, and more data-informed mine management.
