Limited real-time visibility underground
Many mines rely on tag boards, shift lists and radio calls to track who is underground. Supervisors may not know the exact location of personnel or vehicles at any moment, especially between key waypoints.
Industry Solutions
Mining
RTLS & Safety Solutions
Hybrid UWB + GPS RTLS for safer, smarter mining operations.
Open‑pit and underground mines are among the most challenging industrial environments — with heavy equipment, complex tunnels and constantly changing layouts. GridRTLS combines precise UWB positioning underground with GPS outdoors to deliver real‑time visibility of people, vehicles and assets, improving safety, productivity and compliance.
Mining operations span vast open pits, underground stopes and declines, processing plants, workshops, explosives magazines and stockyards. Conditions are harsh: dust, vibration, steep ramps, limited visibility and narrow tunnels shared by haul trucks and personnel. Radio coverage is patchy, and conventional tools such as paper tag boards, radios and sporadic GPS tracking cannot provide a complete picture of who is underground, where vehicles are moving or how long people remain in high‑risk zones.
GridRTLS deploys rugged UWB anchors along tunnels, levels and production areas, combined with wireless beacons and hybrid tags that also support GPS for surface operations. Industrial‑grade anchors and tags typically deliver <30 cm accuracy in open line‑of‑sight conditions with update rates from 1–10 Hz, and specialised long‑range units can cover tunnel spans up to hundreds of metres between anchors. On the surface, GPS / RTK devices on haul trucks, loaders and light vehicles provide sub‑meter to centimetre‑level tracking, even across large pits and waste dumps.
The platform presents a live map of miners, vehicles and critical assets, supports zone‑based rules (e.g. restricted headings, blasting areas, unsupported roofs), and provides man‑down and SOS alarms for lone workers. Integrated with mine‑management systems, dispatch, access control and video, RTLS becomes a central layer for safety, production monitoring and emergency response.
📊 Key stats for this industry
- Typical Mine Coverage
- 5–50 km of tunnels
- Concurrent Workforce Tracked
- 100–1,500 personnel
- Mobile Equipment & Vehicles Tracked
- 50–400 units
- Typical Underground Accuracy
- <30 cm
Underground declines, levels and drifts instrumented with UWB anchors, plus surface pits and plants.
Miners, supervisors, contractors and visitors across underground and surface operations.
Haul trucks, loaders, light vehicles, drills, service vehicles and support equipment.
UWB positioning in line‑of‑sight tunnel sections, suitable for collision‑avoidance and zone control.
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Operational challenges
Vehicle–vehicle and vehicle–person collision risk
Large trucks, loaders and light vehicles share narrow ramps and intersections with limited sight lines. Without accurate proximity detection, near‑misses and collisions remain a major risk.
Tracking contractors and visitors in high‑risk areas
Contractors and visitors often work in unfamiliar headings or plant areas. Paper permits and manual sign‑in cannot guarantee that they remain in authorised zones or exit promptly after work.
Slow emergency response and evacuation
In fires, rockfalls or gas events, control rooms need to know who is affected, whether escape routes are clear, and which refuge chambers are occupied. Manual headcounts and radio checks can take too long.
Locating equipment, materials and critical tools
Drills, pumps, barricades, explosives accessories and other assets move frequently between headings and levels. Misplaced items cause delays, rework and extra capital or rental spend.
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Business drivers
Reduce safety incidents and fatality risk
Real-time underground visibility, collision‑avoidance alerts and man‑down detection help prevent accidents and support “zero harm” programmes.
Improve emergency preparedness and response
RTLS-based mustering and last‑known locations speed up search and rescue, support refuge‑chamber management and provide detailed timelines for post‑incident reviews.
Optimise fleet and equipment utilisation
Continuous tracking of trucks, loaders and auxiliary equipment supports better dispatching, reduced idle time and improved use of pumps, drills and support gear.
Strengthen regulatory compliance and audit trails
Reliable records of underground exposure times, zone entry and vehicle movements support compliance with mining safety legislation and company standards.
📜 Regulations & safety expectations
Mining safety regulations typically require accurate records of underground personnel, restricted access to hazardous areas, robust emergency plans and clear evidence of compliance. RTLS enhances — but does not replace — existing controls such as tag boards, gas monitoring, isolation, ventilation and refuge chambers.
Hardware used underground must often meet standards for ruggedness, ingress protection and, in some cases, intrinsic safety. GridRTLS uses industrial‑grade anchors, beacons and tags with IP66–IP67 ratings, wide operating temperature ranges and strong EMC performance designed for harsh environments such as tunnels, processing plants and heavy‑equipment areas.
System design should be validated with mine engineering, ventilation and safety teams to ensure that antenna placement, power, cabling and wireless use comply with site policies and local law.
🧩 Typical RTLS use cases
Common positioning and tracking scenarios for this industry.
Underground Personnel Tracking & Safety
Miners, supervisors and contractors carry UWB/GPS tags or smart helmets as they move through portals, ramps and levels. Control rooms see live positions, zone occupancy and last‑known locations, improving day‑to‑day oversight and emergency response.
- Environment
- indoor
- Accuracy
- 0.3–1 m along declines, levels and workplaces.
- Update rate
- 1–3 s for standard tracking; faster in high‑risk areas.
- Tracked objects
- personnel, visitors_contractors
Typical integrations:
Mine control / dispatch systems, tag‑board / access systems, gas and environmental monitoring, CCTV where available, emergency communication systems.
Vehicle & Equipment Collision Avoidance Underground
Trucks, loaders and light vehicles are equipped with RTLS devices that measure distance to personnel tags and other vehicles. When separation falls below configured thresholds, audio/visual alarms warn drivers and pedestrians, and events are logged for analysis.
- Environment
- indoor
- Accuracy
- <30 cm for proximity; 1–3 m for general vehicle tracking.
- Update rate
- 0.5–1 s for collision‑avoidance logic.
- Tracked objects
- personnel, vehicles, mobile_equipment
Typical integrations:
Fleet‑management and dispatch systems, on‑board displays, mine safety dashboards, CCTV / VMS at key intersections.
Surface Fleet Tracking & Production Monitoring
On the surface, GPS / RTLS devices on haul trucks, shovels and light vehicles provide live positions, cycle times and load/unload history. Dispatch and planning teams gain accurate data for productivity analysis and fuel and tyre management.
- Environment
- outdoor
- Accuracy
- 1–3 m for cycle tracking; centimetre‑level RTK accuracy where required for positioning relative to benches and dump edges.
- Update rate
- 2–5 s for production monitoring; down to 1 s when needed near high‑risk edges.
- Tracked objects
- vehicles, mobile_equipment
Typical integrations:
Fleet‑management / dispatch systems, mine‑planning and short‑interval control tools, fuel management, maintenance systems.
Lone‑Worker & Maintenance Safety with Smart Helmets
Maintenance crews and inspectors working in remote headings, pump stations, crushers or conveyor galleries wear smart helmets or wearables with UWB + GPS, motion sensors and SOS buttons. Man‑down or panic events send precise location information to control rooms and can trigger linked camera or alarm sequences.
- Environment
- mixed
- Accuracy
- 0.3–1 m around equipment, platforms and access ways.
- Update rate
- 1–2 s during active work.
- Tracked objects
- personnel
Typical integrations:
Maintenance‑management systems, mine safety / HSE platforms, CCTV / video linkage, voice and data communication systems.
📋 RTLS requirements for this industry
- Typical coverage
- Underground declines, levels, production areas, refuge chambers and critical intersections; surface pits and dumps; processing plants, workshops, magazines, offices and stockyards. Coverage per site can extend from a few kilometres of workings in smaller mines to tens of kilometres across complex operations.
- Personnel scale
- From 100–300 tracked people in smaller underground or open‑pit operations up to 1,500+ workers, contractors and visitors across large, multi‑pit or combined surface/underground mines.
- Assets & vehicles
- 50–400 tracked vehicles and machines including haul trucks, loaders, drills, LHDs, light vehicles, cranes and service fleets, plus hundreds to thousands of tagged tools, pumps, barricades, containers and other assets.
- Environment constraints
- Mines present extreme conditions: dust, moisture, vibration, heat and cold, long narrow tunnels with frequent turns, and partially obstructed sky view at pit walls. RTLS hardware must withstand these environments with IP66–IP67 enclosures, wide operating temperatures and strong resistance to electromagnetic interference. Long‑range UWB devices are used to reduce the number of anchors in tunnels while keeping sub‑meter accuracy, and GPS / RTK receivers provide precise positioning on the surface where satellite visibility is good.
🛡️ Safety & reliability expectations
Because mining is safety‑critical, RTLS must deliver high availability (target ≥99.99% for core functions), robust power and communications, and predictable latency for alarms. UWB anchors and tags typically provide <30 cm accuracy with update rates up to 10 Hz in open tunnel segments, while RTK‑enabled GPS devices on surface equipment provide centimetre‑level accuracy where needed.
Battery‑powered beacons and tags must offer long life; underground anchors are often powered from existing infrastructure, while tags on personnel and mobile equipment may need to operate for weeks to months per charge depending on duty cycle.
System design should include redundancy, health monitoring and clear operational procedures for charging, issuing and maintaining tags to ensure reliability during emergencies.
🛰️ RTLS solutions for this industry
📦 Devices and infrastructure used in this industry
SN2 UWB PoE Anchor
The SN2 is an industrial‑grade UWB positioning anchor designed for high‑accuracy real‑time location systems. It supports Standard PoE or 12–24 V DC power, delivers sub‑meter performance (<30 cm LoS), and features an IP66 enclosure for harsh indoor/outdoor environments. Multiple mounting options (ceiling, wall, pole clamp) make deployment easy in factories, warehouses, and tunnels. Optional 4G/Wi‑Fi backhaul, AI video add‑on, and sound‑light alarm extend the anchor’s capability for safety and analytics. (Actual performance depends on anchor density, layout, and site RF conditions.)
SW UWB Anchor
The SW UWB Positioning Base Station is an industrial-grade device designed for sub-meter accuracy tracking of personnel, vehicles, and assets in factories, tunnels, and other complex environments.
STD UWB Dual Channel Base Station
The STD UWB Dual-Channel Base Station is an industrial-grade positioning device designed for tunnel, mining, and underground environments.
WX UWB Wireless Positioning Beacon
The WX UWB Wireless Positioning Beacon is a battery-powered industrial-grade UWB device designed for wireless deployment without cable installation.
UBK UWB + GPS Hybrid Positioning Badge
The UBK UWB + GPS Hybrid Positioning Badge is a rugged industrial-grade personnel tracking card designed for high-precision positioning in factories, warehouses, tunnels, and other demanding environments. It integrates UWB centimeter-level positioning with GPS outdoor positioning, features SOS emergency button, motion detection, TTS voice broadcast, 4G cellular communication, and optional NFC functionality. Equipped with a 3000mAh rechargeable battery and an IP66 protection rating, the UBK badge ensures reliable real-time personnel visibility and safety monitoring both indoors and outdoors.
AQM Hybrid Positioning Safety Helmet
The AQM Hybrid Positioning Safety Helmet is an industrial-grade smart helmet integrating UWB high-precision positioning, RTK centimeter-level positioning, GPS outdoor positioning, and 4G full-network communication. Designed for worker safety and real-time visibility, it features SOS emergency alerts, TTS voice, motion/static detection, low-battery warnings, and optional NFC / LoRa / 5G communication. With an IP56 rugged rating and a built-in 3000mAh rechargeable battery, the AQM helmet is ideal for construction sites, tunnels, factories, mining, ports, and hazardous environments requiring precise personnel tracking and safety protection.
URT Hybrid Positioning Terminal
The URT Hybrid Positioning Terminal is an industrial-grade wearable tracking device that integrates UWB high-precision positioning, RTK centimeter-level positioning, GPS outdoor positioning, and 4G wireless communication. It provides real-time personnel tracking, SOS emergency alerts, TTS voice broadcasting, motion detection, and optional NFC/Lora/5G expansion. With an IP66 rugged design and a 3000mAh magnetic-charging battery, the URT terminal is ideal for complex industrial environments such as factories, tunnels, construction sites, rail transit, and energy facilities.
GNSS Differential Reference Station
A high-precision GNSS/Beidou differential reference station that provides centimeter-level RTK corrections and sub-meter static accuracy. Supports RTCM differential data output, 4G/WiFi backhaul, UWB optional transmission, and fully integrates with positioning platforms for mining, ports, factories, and outdoor infrastructure.
TXWG Industrial Communication Gateway
A high-performance LPWAN-based industrial communication gateway designed for long-distance, low-power IoT communication. It supports LORA self-organizing networking, 4G cloud transmission, GPS time sync, multi-channel data forwarding, and explosion-proof applications.
XB UWB Wireless Positioning Beacon
The XB UWB Wireless Positioning Beacon is a compact, fully wireless, and battery-powered UWB device designed for high-precision positioning without cable deployment.
URTC Vehicle-Mounted Hybrid Positioning Terminal
The URTC Vehicle-Mounted Hybrid Positioning Terminal integrates RTK centimeter-level positioning, optional UWB <30 cm indoor positioning, and a GNSS full-constellation system, enabling high-precision positioning for industrial vehicles, engineering machinery, cranes, and fleet applications. With a separated-module design using coaxial cable connection, the URTC terminal achieves RTK accuracy of ±3 cm, supports 4G full-netcom communication, anti-collision functions, and performs reliably in harsh industrial environments with IP67 protection, wide temperature tolerance, and strong signal reception.
BQ Vehicle-Mounted Positioning Terminal
The BQ Vehicle-Mounted Positioning Terminal is an industrial-grade hybrid positioning device designed for vehicles operating in mines, construction sites, ports, transportation fleets, and harsh outdoor environments. It integrates UWB high-precision positioning, RTK centimeter-level positioning, GNSS multi-system outdoor tracking, 4G full-network communication, and features strong magnetic adsorption, anti-disassembly alarm, motion detection, TTS voice, and optional LoRa/5G modules. With a rugged IP66 design and a built-in 3000mAh rechargeable battery (optional 5000mAh), the BQ terminal ensures reliable real-time tracking and vehicle safety management in demanding industrial conditions.
SH UWB Positioning Wristband Tag
The SH UWB Positioning Wristband Tag is a high-precision wearable device designed for real-time personnel tracking and safety monitoring in industrial environments such as factories, construction sites, and tunnels.
JCZD GNSS Displacement & Settlement Monitoring Terminal
A high-precision GNSS-based monitoring terminal designed for real-time displacement and settlement monitoring in landslides, mining slopes, dam structures, reservoir embankments, tank subsidence, and roadbed deformation. Accuracy: ±2.5 mm horizontal / ±5 mm vertical. Supports GNSS differential positioning, 4G/RJ45 communication, fusion positioning algorithms, and outdoor IP67 deployment.
❓ Frequently asked questions
How does RTLS work underground where GPS is not available? +
Underground, RTLS uses UWB anchors installed along tunnels and in key areas. Tags on people and vehicles measure distances to multiple anchors and calculate their position with high accuracy, independent of satellite signals.
Can RTLS help during mine emergencies? +
Yes. RTLS shows real‑time locations, last‑known positions and refuge‑chamber occupancy. Control rooms can see who has reached safe zones, which routes are blocked and where rescue teams are located, improving coordination and post‑incident reporting.
What accuracy is required for collision avoidance underground? +
Effective person–vehicle collision avoidance typically requires sub‑meter accuracy and fast update rates. UWB RTLS is well suited for this, offering around 30 cm accuracy in suitable tunnel layouts and update rates down to 0.5–1 s.
How long do underground anchors and tags last? +
Rugged anchors are designed for continuous operation in harsh environments, with low power consumption and industrial‑grade components. Battery‑powered beacons and tags can operate from many months up to several years depending on configuration and temperature.
Can RTLS data be combined with mine planning and fleet‑management systems? +
Yes. RTLS platforms expose APIs and data feeds that can be integrated with fleet‑management, short‑interval control, mine‑planning, maintenance and safety systems, allowing you to reuse location data across multiple applications.
📚 Mining Case Studies
Hybrid GPS RTK + UWB RTLS for Mine Personnel & Vehicle Dispatch in a Cold-Climate Open-Pit Operation
A reference deployment showing how a mine can unify outdoor RTK tracking and indoor UWB positioning to improve dispatch visibility, blast-zone clearance, and near-miss prevention.
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Bring real-time location into your mine.
Share your mine layout — underground levels, ramps, surface pits and plants — plus your safety and productivity priorities. We’ll design a UWB + GPS RTLS solution that covers personnel tracking, collision avoidance and fleet visibility, tailored to your mining operation.
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