Abstract: A mine operation monitoring system a plurality of mine equipment interfaces each being located at a mine operation and being associated with at least one item of mine equipment, each mine equipment interface being arranged to monitor operation of the at least one associated item of mine equipment. A plurality of monitoring stations is located remotely to the mine operations and is arranged to communicate with at least one equipment interface associated with a different mine operation so as to monitor operation of at least one item of mine equipment associated with said at least one equipment interface from the remote locations. A plurality of local monitoring stations located at respective mine operations monitors operation of the one time of equipment associated with the one interface. A communications network is arranged to facilitate communications between the equipment interfaces, the local monitoring stations and the remote monitoring stations.

Abstract: A base station (10) for wireless communication with equipment on a mine operation (40). The base station (10) is moveable and comprises a wireless network interface (16) arranged to facilitate communications with a monitoring station (14) and with at least one item of mine equipment (12) so that at least one item of mine equipment is monitorable and/or controllable from the monitoring station (14) through the base station (10). The base station also includes a camera (20) arranged to capture images of an area of the mine operation (40) adjacent the base station. The base station (10) is arranged to communicate information indicative of the captured images to the monitoring station (14) through the wireless network interface (16).

Abstract: A mine operation monitoring system a plurality of mine equipment interfaces each being located at a mine operation and being associated with at least one item of mine equipment, each mine equipment interface being arranged to monitor operation of the at least one associated item of mine equipment. A plurality of monitoring stations is located remotely to the mine operations and is arranged to communicate with at least one equipment interface associated with a different mine operation so as to monitor operation of at least one item of mine equipment associated with said at least one equipment interface from the remote locations. A plurality of local monitoring stations located at respective mine operations monitors operation of the one time of equipment associated with the one interface. A communications network is arranged to facilitate communications between the equipment interfaces, the local monitoring stations and the remote monitoring stations.

Abstract: A communications device (12) for facilitating communications between two remote locations, in particular for mine planning purposes, comprising a touch screen (24), an image display device (22) arranged to display an image, such that the image and the touch screen are in register with each other, and a network interface (40) arranged to facilitate communications between the device (12) and another remotely disposed device. The device (12) is arranged during use to send data indicative of a tactile input detected by the touch screen (24) to another remotely disposed device (12) through the network interface (40), to receive data indicative of a tactile input detected by a touch screen (24) of another remotely disposed device (14) through the network interface (40), and to incorporate into the displayed image a representation of a tactile input corresponding to tactile input data received from the other remotely disposed mine planning device (14).