Development of an Automated Ticketing and Tracking System for the Monitoring of Surface Mine Hauling Operations

Abstract

Telematics systems that integrate wireless communications and automation for equipment tracking and trip monitoring in mining operations have an advanced impact on the operational efficiency and optimization of the mine's asset inventory. In this study, a system was developed for solution in a mining area with low mobile network signal coverage and no internet service available to monitor and analyze the actual utilization executed by heavy equipment using microcontrollers with communication capabilities (GSM/GPRS, WiFi, and Bluetooth) and sensor modules for fuel monitoring and location tracking. Open-source software was utilized, such as PHP framework and MySQL, to provide a fast and real-time display of daily mine operations. The study provides an online tracking and ticketing system on mine hauling vehicles, introducing a cost-efficient, reliable, interactive platform for web-based monitoring and real-time telematics. The data acquired in real-time provide significant information which will allow innovative equipment optimization.