Mining Goes Digital – Mueller et al. (Eds)
© 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-367-33604-2
578
Mineberry—remote monitoring of abandoned shaft openings
B. vom Berg, F. Schmachtenberger & B. von Gruchalla
Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola, Bochum, North Rhine-Westfalia, Germany
F. Wollnik, S. Klaß, A. Koschare, S. Schnell & J. Schliebs
RAG Aktiengesellschacht, Herne, North Rhine-Westfalia, Germany
ABSTRACT: In the German regions of Saarland and the southern Ruhr area in particular
one can find surface openings which are in part centuries old and relicts of past hard-coal
underground mining activities. In order to minimise possible risks and hazards which may
result from those openings, RAG AG has been monitoring around 7,300 of those openings
and is currently restoring at least 35 of them. In addition, an innovative monitoring system
is to be developed and established that will allow for an improved monitoring of this huge
legacy. In close collaboration with RAG AG, the Research Institute of Post-Mining and the
Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Information Technology and Industrial Engineering at
THGA University of Applied Sciences have been designing and implementing suitable and
continually working monitoring systems that use state-of-the-art sensor and transmission
technology and will be developed further.
1 THE MINEBERRY SYSTEM
The principal idea of these system, called Mineberry system, is to develop modular solutions
that can work independently for almost any kind of abandoned mining objects. To make this
possible, it was necessary to merge opportunities provided by the Internet of Things (IoT)
with solutions relying on established and proven technology. In such cases, the components
which are lowered and mounted into the shafts do not only need to withstand the adverse
environmental conditions, but (in parts) also meet the requirements of explosion protection.
Special attention is being paid to ensuring a long durability of each system while generating
high cost-efficiency.
The smallest of the system which are currently being developed consists of sensors, a solar
generator and a micro-controller which transmits the data directly into a cloud storage using
the Sigfox network (a low-power wide-area network for small data volumes). In a simple scenario, the sensors monitor the vertical movement of the column with which the abandoned
shaft has been filled. The data gathered in this way are continually displayed and saved in the
cloud storage used and, if needed, transmitted to a pre-set reporting chain.
If, in addition to the measuring data, stills are needed of the current local situation, a
Raspberry Pi system will be used. Using an infrared camera, this system is able to record
images night and day and thus enables the user to carry out a visual assessment of the local
conditions. An-other option is to measure not only the vertical movement of the filling column, but also its precise depth. This system transmits the data generated here using a UMTS
connection (mobile telecommunications network) to upload and send configurable emails.
The people in charge can use an adjustable depth limit value in order to receive immediate
information if a significant change in the surface opening occurs. In this case, if the pre-set
value is exceeded, another messages is sent per email and text message, e.g. to an engineer or
a technician who can then assess the situation and take the necessary steps needed.
This innovative concept for monitoring abandoned mining objects is currently being tested
at different locations in the field.
© 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-0-367-33604-2
578
Mineberry—remote monitoring of abandoned shaft openings
B. vom Berg, F. Schmachtenberger & B. von Gruchalla
Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola, Bochum, North Rhine-Westfalia, Germany
F. Wollnik, S. Klaß, A. Koschare, S. Schnell & J. Schliebs
RAG Aktiengesellschacht, Herne, North Rhine-Westfalia, Germany
ABSTRACT: In the German regions of Saarland and the southern Ruhr area in particular
one can find surface openings which are in part centuries old and relicts of past hard-coal
underground mining activities. In order to minimise possible risks and hazards which may
result from those openings, RAG AG has been monitoring around 7,300 of those openings
and is currently restoring at least 35 of them. In addition, an innovative monitoring system
is to be developed and established that will allow for an improved monitoring of this huge
legacy. In close collaboration with RAG AG, the Research Institute of Post-Mining and the
Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Information Technology and Industrial Engineering at
THGA University of Applied Sciences have been designing and implementing suitable and
continually working monitoring systems that use state-of-the-art sensor and transmission
technology and will be developed further.
1 THE MINEBERRY SYSTEM
The principal idea of these system, called Mineberry system, is to develop modular solutions
that can work independently for almost any kind of abandoned mining objects. To make this
possible, it was necessary to merge opportunities provided by the Internet of Things (IoT)
with solutions relying on established and proven technology. In such cases, the components
which are lowered and mounted into the shafts do not only need to withstand the adverse
environmental conditions, but (in parts) also meet the requirements of explosion protection.
Special attention is being paid to ensuring a long durability of each system while generating
high cost-efficiency.
The smallest of the system which are currently being developed consists of sensors, a solar
generator and a micro-controller which transmits the data directly into a cloud storage using
the Sigfox network (a low-power wide-area network for small data volumes). In a simple scenario, the sensors monitor the vertical movement of the column with which the abandoned
shaft has been filled. The data gathered in this way are continually displayed and saved in the
cloud storage used and, if needed, transmitted to a pre-set reporting chain.
If, in addition to the measuring data, stills are needed of the current local situation, a
Raspberry Pi system will be used. Using an infrared camera, this system is able to record
images night and day and thus enables the user to carry out a visual assessment of the local
conditions. An-other option is to measure not only the vertical movement of the filling column, but also its precise depth. This system transmits the data generated here using a UMTS
connection (mobile telecommunications network) to upload and send configurable emails.
The people in charge can use an adjustable depth limit value in order to receive immediate
information if a significant change in the surface opening occurs. In this case, if the pre-set
value is exceeded, another messages is sent per email and text message, e.g. to an engineer or
a technician who can then assess the situation and take the necessary steps needed.
This innovative concept for monitoring abandoned mining objects is currently being tested
at different locations in the field.