Review Paper:
ZigBee based Real
Time System for Environmental Parameters Monitoring in Model Mine: An Experimental
Study
Naik Anil S., Reddy Sandi Kumar and Mandela Govinda Raj
Disaster Advances; Vol. 18(5); 202-208;
doi: https://doi.org/10.25303/185da2020208; (2025)
Abstract
The global mining industry, known for extracting valuable minerals like coal, iron
ore, gold, silver, copper and zinc, primarily operates through underground mining.
These underground mine environments are influenced by various environmental factors
including toxic and flammable gases, increased carbon dioxide (CO2) levels and decreased
oxygen (O2) concentrations. These factors significantly impact the productivity
and safety of mine workers, making monitoring harmful gases crucial. Various methods
exist to measure gas concentrations and respond appropriately when these levels
exceed safe thresholds. However, each method has its own set of limitations. In
underground mines, wireless monitoring systems are essential to monitor environmental
parameters in real time. This study focuses on the assessment of ZigBee-based wireless
techniques for their application in underground mines. The developed ZigBee wireless
communication system was tested and validated at the surface level and in a model
mine laboratory at the Mining Engineering Department of the National Institute of
Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal, India. This laboratory replicates an underground
mine setting.
The ZigBee-based system is designed to wirelessly monitor environmental parameters.
Experiment results suggest that the ZigBee network is suitable for real-time monitoring
of environmental conditions in underground mines. Further details regarding the
functioning, effectiveness and potential applications of the ZigBee-based system
in underground mining are discussed in the study.
