Recent Advancements in IoT Implementation for Environmental, Safety, and Production Monitoring in Underground Mines

Internet of Things (IoT) technology has been widely used for real-time monitoring of the environment, safety, and production in underground mines. This article presents the basic structure of a Mine IoT (MIoT) system based on a widely used three-layer IoT architecture, classifies types of sensors commonly used in underground mines by specific application, and introduces available wired and wireless communication technologies and network topologies that can be applied in underground mines. This article provides a comprehensive review of recent developments in IoT applications in underground mines to monitor various environmental parameters, including mine gas and dust concentrations, temperature, humidity and airflow, groundwater, ground support, and seismic activity. MIoT applications for fire and hazard detection, personnel and equipment positioning, and production safety management have also been investigated. This article highlights key challenges for the broad application of IoT technology in underground mines, such as operation disruption, additional investment, limited battery life, poor quality of underground communication, and difficulty in data management. Further research on novel advanced techniques, such as self-powered sensors, MIoT standardization, and underground wireless communication technologies, is essential to improve the applicability and effectiveness of IoT applications in underground mines.