Solutions · Mining and quarrying
Above ground or underground, in a mine or a quarry, the radio has to work every time. We design it and install it.
Teleproject designs, builds, and maintains professional DMR and TETRA radio networks and coverage systems for mining and quarrying operations, above ground and underground, backed by over twenty years of experience in mission-critical communications.
The three challenges of running a mine or a quarry.
What a mining or quarrying operation has to guarantee every day, above ground and underground.
Coverage in underground environments
In excavation drifts and at underground levels the radio signal does not propagate on its own: rock, distance, and bends all attenuate it. Without engineered coverage, the crews underground stay cut off from the surface.
Personnel safety
Anyone working alone at the excavation face must be able to raise the alarm and get help at any moment: this calls for terminals with safety features linked to the control room, wherever the type of work requires it.
A lasting investment
The system has to last for years and be serviced without stopping operations: what counts is the quality of the components, the technical documentation, and scheduled maintenance. Where areas are classified as hazardous, the equipment must be rated for that use.
How radio coverage reaches an extraction site.
Above ground, yard coverage comes from the antennas mounted on the mast of the radio site; underground it is distributed by the radiating cable laid along the excavation drift and extended as the face advances.
- Radiating cable
- The blue line is the radiating cable: laid along the ramp and the excavation drift, it radiates the radio signal as far as the face. We extend it as the excavation advances.
- Yard coverage
- The antennas mounted on the mast cover the open-air working areas, the haul roads, and the loading zones.
- Technical room
- It houses the site’s radio equipment and is the point where the radiating cable enters the underground works.
- Site links
- The grey dashed lines connect the control room, the technical room, and the antennas of the radio site.
The environments we work in.
An extraction site combines open-air operations with underground operations: the radio network has to cover both.
Open-air operations
On the yards and quarry faces, coverage comes from the base stations installed on site: we aim the antennas at the working areas, the haul roads, and the loading zones, and connect the site offices with a microwave radio link.
Underground operations
In the excavation drifts the signal from outside does not reach: we distribute coverage with radiating cable and with antennas installed along the route, and extend the system as the excavation advances.
Areas with an explosion risk
Where areas are classified as hazardous, we supply ATEX-certified terminals and radio equipment. We agree the choice of equipment and the installation methods with the customer, according to the classification of the areas.
What a system for a mine or a quarry includes.
The systems we build on an extraction site and what each one covers, from coverage underground to monitoring of the equipment.
Radio coverage underground
- Laying of the radiating cable along the excavation drifts and the access ramps
- Antennas installed in the chambers, at the junctions, and on the stretches the radiating cable does not reach
- Line amplifiers, couplers, and power splitters housed in protective cabinets
- Joints, connectors, and termination loads sealed against moisture and dust
- Extension of the coverage to the excavation face as the work advances
Coverage of the open-air areas
- DMR or TETRA base stations and repeaters installed on site
- Antennas on a mast or lattice tower, aimed at the working areas
- Coverage of the quarry faces, the haul roads, and the loading zones
- Point-to-point microwave links between the site, the site offices, and the company headquarters
Crew radio terminals
- Portable radios for the operators and vehicle radios for the machines
- Programming of channels, talkgroups, and user profiles
- Cases, speaker microphones, and accessories rated for dust, impact, and moisture
- Multi-unit chargers, spare batteries, and radio fleet management
- ATEX-certified terminals for the areas classified as an explosion risk
Emergency communications and evacuation
- Emergency call from the terminal, with priority over other communications
- Alarm and call-for-help functions for anyone working alone
- Talkgroups dedicated to the rescue crews and to the works management
- Broadcast of the evacuation order on every talkgroup and channel in service
- Recording of communications, to reconstruct how the event was handled
Control room and coordination
- A dispatch console that brings the site’s radio networks together at a single operator position
- Communications recorder, searchable by channel, talkgroup, and time
- GPS location of the machines and crews above ground, shown on a map
- Single directory of radio and telephone contacts, with the status of every operator
- Interfacing with the site supervision systems via SNMP, relay contacts, and APIs
Power supply and service continuity
- Distribution boards, protection devices, and lines dedicated to the radio equipment
- Power supplies, uninterruptible power supplies, and buffer batteries sized for the required autonomy
- Tests of the systems running without mains power
- Bonding of the equipment and the antenna supports to the earthing system
- Surge arresters on the RF lines and on the power lines
Transport network and technical rooms
- Optical fiber backbones and copper links between the radio sites, the technical rooms, and the control room
- Network equipment, PoE power supply, and patch cabinets
- Technical shelters and outdoor cabinets for the equipment installed in the yard
- Labeling of equipment, cables, and connectors according to the design drawings
System monitoring
- The status of radio and network equipment collected in Track-TP, with real-time alarms
- Continuous monitoring of radiating cable continuity with TP-CCV2
- Verification of the radio carriers in service on the site with TP-RFX
- Delivery of alarms to the technicians by email, Telegram, and WhatsApp
- History of the measurements, to reconstruct a fault and document the maintenance
What happens when you open a new excavation face.
A real-world case: from checking radio coverage through to coordinating the crews and supporting the systems.
We measure coverage before you start
Before the site is set up we check where the radio signal reaches: with field tests and propagation models we size the systems needed to cover the work areas, above ground and underground.
Coverage reaches underground
We carry the DMR and TETRA radio networks all the way to the excavation face with DAS and radiating cable, so communication stays continuous even where the outside signal cannot reach.
The crews stay in touch
Every operator works with their own radio terminal, programmed for the site networks. We supply, program, and maintain the crews’ radio fleet and, where required, terminals with safety features for lone workers.
The control room coordinates operations
The operator follows the crews from the Respondr console, which brings the site radio networks together at a single operator position: one interface to talk with those on the surface and those working underground.
The systems stay under support
After installation the work continues: the Track-TP platform gathers the status of the equipment and radio networks on a single dashboard, and support contracts keep the systems maintained over time.
The systems we put in the field.
Every solution has its own detail page: here you see only what it does for an extraction site.
- Control room
Radio rooms and dispatch
We build the control rooms for extraction sites with Funktronic consoles and the Respondr platform: the site radio networks and crew coordination at a single operator position.
- Operational radio
DMR and TETRA radio networks
We design and build the radio networks for mining and quarrying: DMR Tier II and Tier III systems, TETRA trunking, and VHF/UHF links, from design to maintenance.
- Underground coverage
DAS and underground coverage
We design and install DAS and radiating cable systems to carry radio coverage all the way to the excavation face, where the outside signal cannot reach.
- Personnel safety
Lone worker protection
Terminals with safety features for lone workers, linked to the control room: alarm and emergency call wherever the type of work requires it.
- Classified areas
Solutions for hazardous areas (ATEX)
Where areas are classified as hazardous, we supply ATEX-certified radio equipment rated for the job.
- System monitoring
Supervision with Track-TP
A web platform that shows the status of network equipment, radio networks, and site sensors on a single dashboard, with real-time alerts.
- Radio terminals
Radio fleet supply
Supply, programming, and maintenance of the crews’ radio terminals: we are an authorized reseller for Motorola Solutions, Hytera, and Kenwood and the exclusive Funktronic distributor for Italy.
- Before the tender
Radio coverage study
Propagation models, link budgets, and system sizing: the technical documentation you need to plan the site coverage and present the project in a public tender.
Frequently asked questions.
The questions we are asked most often about this type of system.
Who decides in which areas of a mine ATEX-certified radio equipment is required?
Classifying the areas at risk of explosion is the site operator’s responsibility: it is defined with their own prevention and protection service and recorded in the safety documentation. The radio system follows that classification: where an area is classified, the terminals and equipment installed must carry ATEX certification, which applies to the individual model and is issued to the equipment manufacturer; outside those areas, professional terminals without that certification are sufficient. If the classification changes, for example because a new working area is opened, the choice of equipment used at that point has to be reviewed as well.
Does GPS location work underground as well?
No, the satellite signal does not reach below ground: GPS position is available for the machines and crews working above ground, on the yards, on the quarry faces, and on the haul roads. Underground you work in coverage zones instead, meaning stretches of drift served by the same radio installation: if you need to know which zone a crew is in, that subdivision has to be defined at the design stage together with the coverage. Communication with the excavation face stays available in any case, because it is carried by the radiating cable laid along the drift.
How do you know whether an operator working alone underground has had an accident?
The radio terminal can raise the alarm by itself, without the operator pressing any button: the safety functions for lone workers detect a fall or the absence of movement and open an emergency call with priority over other communications. In the control room the operator sees which terminal the alarm came from and which talkgroup to answer on, and the communication that follows stays recorded. Which functions to enable, and after how many seconds without movement the alarm should trigger, is decided with the safety manager according to the type of work.
How much does radio coverage for a quarry or a mine cost?
The cost depends above all on three factors: how much open-air surface has to be covered, whether there are underground operations, and how many terminals the crews need. Yard coverage is achieved with the site’s base stations and the antennas mounted on the mast, while underground you need the radiating cable, the line amplifiers, and extension of the system as the excavation face advances. A figure can only be produced after the site survey and the coverage study, and the system can be built in phases, starting with the open-air areas.
Our systems integrate with the plant you already have.
No closed systems: we use open protocols, let different technologies coexist on the same infrastructure, and work with the certifications that public tenders require.
Multiprotocol on the same coverage
TETRA, DMR, and VHF/UHF coexist on the same coverage infrastructure: your existing investments stay valid even when the radio technology changes.
Integration with site systems
The monitoring systems interface with the operator’s supervision platforms via SNMP, relay contacts, and APIs: the alarms land where you already work.
Certifications and credentials
Teleproject is a company certified to ISO 9001:2015 and qualified under SOA OS 19. The Respondr and Track-TP platforms are designed in line with the NIS2 directive and the ISA/IEC 62443-3-3 standard.
Request a proposal for your mine or quarry.
Feasibility analysis, radio coverage study, and project planning, tailored to your requirements.